Sins of the Flesh
by Lasae abyss
Summary: Slash BBxRob Do you remember the hunts we ran, the prey we killed?” His mouth brushed over Beast Boy’s ear, voice silken and tempting and loathed. “Do you remember the taste of blood?” M for language and sexual content
1. Chapter 1

Merely came to me in the form of a rabid bunny, and I had to let it manifest itself. Apologise for any mistakes. Tell me what you think.

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The city lay spread beneath him like some dark offering. Tilting his wings a little, he dived towards the street. Beast Boy transformed as he landed, shivering slightly in the cold. A light thud and Starfire was with them. "Well?" He glanced around the darkened street warily, ears pricked for any sound.

"No sign of him back there." Raven gestured towards a junction a short way away. Robin's forehead creased in determination. Smirking, Beast Boy wondered if the boy had more than three expressions. He watched as Robin glanced once more at his locator, frowning.

"Alright," the boy sighed. "We'll have to wait until he shows himself again. Any clues at the store?"

"Nada," Beast Boy replied with a shrug. "And nothing was taken."

"Then he just wanted us to know he was here," Robin mused thoughtfully. Raising an eyebrow, Beast Boy looked away as Robin rotated his shoulders, the material of his suit stretching tightly over slender muscle. "He's advertising his presence, but for what? Does he _want_ to fight us?"

"Nah, he heard we were coming and got scared." Beast Boy puffed out his chest in a show of bravado. Grinning cockily, green eyes flitted from shadow to shadow. His casual act faded quickly; he just didn't have the heart for it today. Someone was watching them, he could feel it. Rather, someone was watching _him_. Like they had for the past week or so. Beast Boy looked around them nervously, ignoring Cyborg's preening strut. He was seeing shadows that weren't there, hearing a voice that couldn't exist. His imagination was working overtime. _That's all it is. Just your imagination,_ he assured himself. The sharp cawing of a crow interrupted his thoughts, and he jumped.

"Most assuredly," Starfire piped up, floating into view with a cheerful grin. "We are exceptionally skilled warriors, after all."

"I don't think that was it." Robin's blank mask portrayed no expression but his lips were set in a contemplative pout. Beast Boy refused to analyse the shades of meaning he had attributed to Robin's mouth. "Whoever he is, he wants us to know he's here."

"Enough chatting, let's go back home." Yawning, Cyborg headed towards the car, nonchalant tone dismissing the whole incident. "We can't do anything hanging around out here." Nodding decisively, Robin climbed onto his motorcycle.

"You're right. We should all get some rest, anyway. Who knows when he'll next show up?" Beast Boy hesitated as the others retreated. That scent… The crow cawed again.

"Beast Boy?" The voice made him turn reflexively. Robin stared at him, raised an eyebrow. "Are you coming?" _How many different meanings can I spin on that question?_ Beast Boy thought with a suppressed grin.

"Ya, ya. Your hero, at your service." Sketching a low bow, he winked at Raven as she rolled her eyes. Smirking at Robin's snort, he dismissed his own thoughts. It wasn't possible, after all. It couldn't be.

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"Yes yes yes!" Beast Boy screamed, thumbs bashing at the controls as he caught up to Cyborg's ugly car.

"Oh, no you don't!" Cyborg crunched down in his seat, eyes squinting almost fully closed as he concentrated on the screen. Sighing heavily, Raven attempted to ignore their enthusiastic commentary as she flicked another page. Cheerful, tuneless humming rang in the background as Starfire once again attempted to cook. Their dysfunctional family seemed to work pretty well most of the time, Beast Boy thought as he roared towards victory. Tugging on his gauntlets, Robin strode into the room and headed for command central. One green eye followed his movements, the other wholly focussed on winning.

"Yeah! Come on!" Suddenly alarms blared at them, flashing an irritating red. "Aw man," Beast Boy groaned, tossing the console away. "Just when I was about to win."

"Dream on, Beasty," Cyborg taunted, already moving away.

"Downtown. The docks," Robin stated with furrowed brows. He had slipped into his 'mission mode'. "Titans, go!"

The place was eerily quiet by the time they got there, dark and deserted and full of moving shadows. Beast Boy shifted uncomfortably as they crept through the warehouse. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. "Fan out," Robin commanded. He eyed the darkness warily, stern and cold as ever. Beast Boy took strength from his impenetrable expression. "We'll get him this time."

"No, you won't." The voice resonated through the air, confidently mocking. Beast Boy whirled, falling easily into a combative stance. A huge, snarling mass suddenly pounced on Raven and Cyborg cried out.

"It's here!"

"There!" Robin's shout came at the same time, and a screech filled the air as something with vicious talons flew at the masked boy. Tumbling away, Robin flung a batarang in its general direction. It cut through the shadows eagerly but the creature had disappeared. Cyborg levelled his blaster at the shapeless form atop Raven even as her kinetic power rose. A wolfish muzzle rose into the air and the beast leapt away. A hiss escaped him as Beast Boy stilled. "What _is_ that thing?!" Robin cried in shock, staring at the creature.

The wolf's head snarled at them as the lion's lifted to roar a challenge. Crouching on the strongly muscled legs of a goat, its scaled tail hissed at them, forked tongue flicking out to taste the air. "A chimera," Raven stated with awe, eyes widening. "But they don't exist!"

"Tell that to him!" Beast Boy shouted as the thing leapt. Green light flared into life around Starfire's hands and she took to the air.

"Where is the other?" Red hair flying about her, she tossed a scatter of starbolts at the thing. It jumped to the side, growling lowly. Raven rose beside her and summoned her powers. Abruptly something smashed into her and she fell to the floor. "Raven!" Starfire darted away from the other creature and Beast Boy halted his charge. Part eagle and part golden lion, it turned in the air and slashed at Robin's swiftly moving figure with its talons.

"A griffon?" Beast Boy wondered softly, eyes round in wonder. How was this even possible?

"_Changeling."_

He whipped around, muscles tensing as the voice whispered at him. He _knew_ that voice. His eyes narrowed against the darkness, seeing movement among the shadows. Running forward, he followed after the distant figure as the cries of his teammates echoed behind him. Soon he was surrounded by utter darkness and the sound of the battle had faded to a distant rumble. Cautiously, he strode forward, suddenly feeling incredibly alone. But he wasn't, of course.

"Hello, kitten." Green eyes widened and his blood froze. That voice, that _voice_… "It is so _good_ to see you again." The shadows coalesced before him, and a dark-haired figure stepped out.

"No," he whispered softly. _No no no no no_. "It can't be! It's not possible, you're not _real_!" He was backing away before he knew it, stumbling from that figure, head shaking in blind denial. "You're gone, you're not real. You're _dead_!" he cried in desperation, fear throbbing through his veins and a familiar, disgusting _thirst_ curling in his stomach.

"You mean you're not pleased to see me?" the other replied with a mocking smirk. Dark violet eyes laughed at him. "Come, kitten, surely you've missed me? Missed the… _fun_, we used to have?" He shuddered, nausea rising as memories he'd struggled to suppress rose to the surface of his mind. His back connected suddenly with a stone wall, hard. _Trapped._

"What are you doing here, Arran?" he asked angrily. If the other titans finished with those beasts and came after him, only to face _this_… He had to keep him away from them.

"I've been watching you for quite a while now, as you've noticed, I'm sure." He continued advancing slowly, stalking towards him with the air of a jungle cat. "Much more observant than those others you call friends, by the way, kitten. Even your little bird." Beast Boy's eyes narrowed warily and the man laughed. "Oh, yes, I've seen the looks you throw at him. But nothing save a gun-wielding maniac can break that mask, I'm afraid, kitten. You'd do better trying for the robot." Snarling, he remained silent. He was close now, Beast Boy could feel the trapped heat between their bodies. The scent of spice and sandalwood slithered over him. _His_ scent.

"Get away from me," Beast Boy hissed, desperately trying to ignore the treacherous part of him that yearned to fall forward into those familiar arms. Violet eyes smouldered, tracing his form and sending shivers down his spine. He growled, baring his fangs, all thought of his own defensive abilities vanquished by the figure looming over him. He could no more fight back than the helpless citizens he was supposed to protect.

"Sheathe those claws, kitten." Long, slender fingers cupped his jaw. Struggling to pull back, Beast Boy only succeeded in banging his head against the wall vainly. Memories flashed before his eyes and he flinched away. That mocking smirk curled the man's thin lips in a familiar, hated curve. "You remember, don't you? The times we had together. Before you became a Teen Titan, before you relinquished the darkness for this fragile hope." Fingers raked through his hair as the other man pressed against his lower body in an achingly familiar gesture. Despite himself, Beast Boy leaned into it, head tilting backwards. Those lips hovered inches from his own.

"No," he protested quietly, squirming against that sickening, delicious touch. Dark eyebrows rose.

"It torments you in your nightmares, thoughts of what you did. Doesn't it, kitten? Do you remember that spot just _here_," he stroked a point on his lower back, over his spine, and Beast Boy arched into the caress, "that still drives you crazy? Do you remember the hunts we ran, the prey we killed?" His mouth brushed over Beast Boy's ear, voice silken and tempting and loathed. _"Do you remember the taste of blood?"_

"Stop it!" With supreme effort, Beast Boy pushed him away. Trembling, he leaned against the wall for support, glaring at the other man. Arran grinned smugly, stepping back.

"I will see you again, kitten. You can count on it." And with a final, eerie smile, the man disappeared back into the shadows. A sobbing breath escaped him and his legs collapsed. Beast Boy rested shaking hands on his knees, whole body trembling. His mind reeled, thrown into shocked chaos.

"Beast Boy, come in." His green eyes opened again, and he shook his head. "Beast Boy." Sighing, he unhooked the communicator from his belt.

"Yeah, I'm here. What's up, fearless leader?"

"Those creatures just left. We'll meet you outside in five."

"Got it." For a moment he just sat there, eyes staring blankly into space. Then he shook himself, rising. He couldn't let them know Arran was here. Robin would merely go running off into danger again and get himself killed. And Beast Boy couldn't let that happen, no matter that what the violet-eyed man had said was utterly true…

_No_, he told himself sternly. _Do not go down that road again._ Running an unsteady hand through his hair, he plastered a grin on his face. They wouldn't know. He would deal with Arran himself.

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	2. Chapter 2

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Frowning, Robin tapped his fingers against the table in a dull rhythm. They sat in a circle, each pondering last night's attack. Those monsters had attacked them without provocation, and then disappeared ten minutes later. But how had such large, conspicuous creatures escaped without a trace? And the shadows, the boy remembered. They had used the darkness as camouflage; surely that was impossible considering their size? And yet they had fooled the entire team.

"The chimera is a creature of myth," Raven read with creased brows. "The word comes from the Greek, meaning 'she-goat'. It is a fire-breathing creature that has the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a snake. The Chimera was eventually defeated by Bellerophon with the aid of his mount, Pegasus."

"But the creature we encountered also had the head of a dog," Starfire stated, merrily confused and eyes wide. Fiddling with his wires, Cyborg glanced up.

"More like a wolf. The damn thing ripped out two of my sensory motors," he added with an irritated frown.

"Guess you're a cat person, huh Cyborg?" Without taking his eyes off his work, the robotic man reached out to thump Beast Boy on the head. "Ow! Dude, that was uncalled for!"

"If it was engineered, then it's likely the wolf's head was added to make it more ferocious." Cyborg nodded once at Robin's statement.

"And to give it extra senses. But it didn't seem to be breathing fire, which might suggest that it's organic; I doubt they could create that kind of ability without the use of machinery."

"Agreed," Robin replied, frowning.

"Hey, what has four legs, six eyes and a pissed-off expression?" Green eyes glittered at him for a moment before they turned to the others. Robin's eyes narrowed at the green-haired boy, wondering. He'd been unusually quiet since last night, and Robin had an inkling that it had something to do with wherever he'd run off to during the battle. Afterwards, Beast Boy had told them that he thought he'd seen another monster, and now Robin wondered if perhaps he'd found it.

"Oo, let me guess! A blorsnag!" Starfire cried enthusiastically, clapping her hands in innocent excitement.

"Nope! Raven on a bad day!" Beast Boy didn't seem to realise that he was the only one cackling with laughter. Rubbing his temple with one hand, Robin focussed on the matter at hand.

"What about the griffon?" Dark eyes rolled at Beast Boy's charming, smarmy grin and Raven glanced back at the book.

"Griffon… The griffon, or gryphon, is a mythical quadruped with the foreparts of an eagle and the rear, tail and hindquarters of a lion. Feathers grow on its head, neck and shoulders, whereas the rest of its body is covered in fur, usually golden brown. Griffon claws are reputed to change colour when in the presence of poison, and so were considered especially valuable."

"And it's about twice the size of a normal cow," Cyborg added with a grimace, probing his arm carefully. "That thing flew at us from out of nowhere."

"Which brings up another question: how could it have attacked us with no prior warning and then disappeared without a trace? Both animals were too large _not_ to be conspicuous," Raven said, confusion fluttering in her eyes but her face expressionless.

"There's something we're missing," Robin muttered slowly, pondering.

"Well, while you puzzle it out, I'm going to take a nap." A yawn pulled at Beast Boy's mouth and Robin frowned at him. "Man, I'm beat."

"… Alright." He wasn't making a mistake. Watching as the green-haired boy walked out of the room, Robin agonised over his unusually sombre attitude. Something was up, but Beast Boy seemed content to hide his feelings behind this mask of nonchalant cheer. And he wouldn't force a confidence, despite the faint ache within him, begging to know what was wrong. Scowling, Robin squashed the irritating surge of emotion behind his mask. He would feel the same for any member of the team in such circumstances. This had nothing to do with Beast Boy's smile, or his sparkling green eyes. Nothing.

…

Then why couldn't he convince himself of that?

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Stretching out the kinks in his back, Beast Boy heaved a tired sigh. All day he'd been off, he knew, sullen and nervous, too quiet. His jokes sounded brittle and forced, even to his own ears. Robin had caught something, he thought with a displeased frown. It had always been hard, keeping things from the masked boy. Awkwardly he massaged his shoulder, pressing at the soreness with nimble fingers as he stepped into his own room. But this, he had to keep secret. His own presence was a danger to th-.

Interrupted mid thought he froze in the centre of the room. Lying on his bed as though it had every right to be there was a crimson rose and a white slip of paper. Trembling he strode towards it, skin prickling uncomfortably.

_My kitten,_

_I ache for you, my angel. Come to the east, follow your nose. Run with me once more, as we used to, long ago.  
Do not disappoint me. The moon rises and I wait for you._

It was signed, _Asmodeus_. Beast Boy laughed, ignoring the hysteria that tinged his voice. "The demon of lust. How fitting." His mind was torn, but he knew he had to go. "Bastard." Crumpling the paper he ripped apart the flower. He would not think of the consequences should he attempt to refuse. His presence here was a danger to the rest of the team. But even if he left for good, they were still vulnerable.

He would go tonight, this once. No matter what Arran did to him, he had to protect his friends.


	3. Chapter 3

The morning dawned clear and cold, stretching out over the gloomy sky with jagged fingers. Inside the tower, Robin struggled to suppress a yawn. Rubbing at his mask irritably, he tried to concentrate. These creatures were nothing on Slade, but they had him baffled. Huge monsters could not just disappear. He frowned, staring at his report as if it held the answer. There was some link, here, that he was missing. Something to connect the dots.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Robin left his room in the hope that a change of scenery might trigger his mind. The tower was blessedly silent, a rarity, Robin knew. It had been curiously quiet in the city in the past week or so. Then those… things had turned up, leapt from the pages of some fairytale and attacked his team. He strode past the closed doors of his team-mates quietly. None seemed to be suffering from the brief assault two nights ago, marked only with glancing wounds that had left little scarring. Only…

Dark brows furrowed in unease. Only Beast Boy had been at all affected. Perhaps seeing creatures so obviously not of this world had brought to mind his own limitations? he wondered, his cape fluttering in a non-existent breeze. But no, Beast Boy was not like himself in that way, Robin thought with an odd, twisting sensation in his chest. He would not consider his faults as imperfections; they were minor lapses that contributed to a more unified whole. He sighed. Beast Boy did not see weaknesses in people, in his team. No matter their shortcomings, they were merely friends to him. A small, guarded part of Robin wondered what Beast Boy saw when he looked at him.

Faint light broke in on his thoughts as he emerged into the communal area. His stomach rumbled distantly, reminding him of the pressing need for breakfast. But a slender figure already stood there, leaning against the window. Robin paused, uncertain, remaining silent as the green-haired boy sighed. Creased forehead against the glass, his eyes were tightly closed, tension in every line of his form. _He's so… anxious. What is he worried about?_

"Beast Boy?" The other boy whipped around, eyes opening wide in… fear? "Are you alright?" Concern made him step forward, an alarmed panic caused by the expression he'd glimpsed on Beast Boy's features.

"Ah, Robin." He shook himself, plastered on a smile that even he could see was fake. "Of course, I'm great. Just startled me, is all." Casual now, he jumped onto the sofa and grinned at him. "You shouldn't wander round so early in the morning, y'know. Not polite to go around giving your team-mates heart attacks. Not that I wouldn't like something for my birthday, but I was going for more of a videogame theme this year. And it'd be kinda hard to enjoy all that cake without a sense of taste." Robin let a reluctant smile tug at the corner of his mouth, despite his feeling of concern. "You hungry? How 'bout tofu pancakes?" A tolerant sigh.

"Sure."

"Great, tofu it is! You know some people don't even consider tofu food? S'ridiculous!" As Beast Boy rose, the thin material of his suit rode up, revealing a strip of green flesh. Robin froze. "Meat I can understand. I mean, pepperoni? Yeuggh! But tofu's a comp-"

"Beast Boy." He leaned forward, eyes narrowing behind hiss mask. One hand grasped the shocked boy's waist as the other pushed away the material. Across the curve of his hip lay a small, oval-shaped bruise that had darkened to a purplish blue. "What happened?"

"It's nothing." He pulled away, yanking down his shirt, but not before Robin had glimpsed more on his back. "Just some bruises from the fight." Something about the shape and configuration of those bruises was niggling at him, but Robin couldn't put his finger on it. "I'll take care of them later."

"You sure? They look painful…"

"I said it's nothing!" Startled, Robin collapsed into silence as a veil of cold anger came down between them. Then Beast Boy sighed, shook his head. "I'm sorry, I'm just a little worked up." He didn't turn around. "I think I might try and get some more sleep." And before Robin could say another word, he'd disappeared through the corridor towards his room.

A dark frown descended as Robin gazed after him. _He had no reason to get angry like that,_ he thought, anxiety a steady undercurrent in his mind. Beast Boy had never just lashed out at one of his team-mates without provocation. A tight, worried feeling curled in the pit of his stomach. Something was wrong with Beast Boy, something the team couldn't fight and something Robin couldn't destroy. For the first time in a long, long time, he felt utterly helpless.

He didn't like the feeling.

_Shit_. "Shit shit shit." Now they'd know something was up. Robin had been curious, and he'd been too careless. He'd seen… Oh _God_. Beast Boy curled into himself, fighting the shame that threatened to drown him. He'd succumbed, let himself be touched, and Robin had _seen_. An hour-long shower this morning hadn't rid himself of _his_ touch, and now this…

He felt sick, overcome with self-disgust. Memories flashed before his eyes, images of narrow violet eyes, a sleek black coat, and, over it all, the metallic scent of blood. He retched, gagging on air. His stomach had been emptied hours ago, when he'd thrown up the remains of his quarry. The hare's bones lay miles away somewhere, bleaching yellow in the sun.

Shuddering in revulsion, he blocked the images from his mind. He _must _continue with this façade. Arran would take no quarter from him. The slightest defiance, and retribution would be swift. He had to go through with this, or his team was forfeit.

And it _is_ a façade, Beast Boy told himself desperately. He'd abandoned that way of life long ago.

A dark, insidious feeling curled within him, and Beast Boy doubted his own words.


	4. Chapter 4

The tower was in its usual mid-morning chaos as the titans jostled for food, for space, for fun. Floating two and a half feet off the floor, Raven let her eyes fall closed. To all appearances she was meditating, but her mind dwelled on the odd behaviour of her fellow titan. For the past week, ever since the night they first encountered those animals, Beast Boy had been… off. It was nothing really concrete, just little things that managed to jar her peace of mind. _Like this morning,_ Raven thought with a frown. _He's always eating, always. You can set your watch by his snacks._ But this morning, Beast Boy bypassed his usual tofu for ice cream loaded with cherry-flavoured syrup. Now the lazy toe-rag had retreated to his own room with his red-drenched dessert: Cyborg sat alone in front of the television, clutching a controller and grinning savagely. It was not… _Normal,_ Raven thought with a frown.

Another burst of noise from Cyborg's game and she sighed. Her feet touched the floor and she stood up straight, despairing, for the moment, of reaching peace. Outside of the circle of noise, Robin sat at the computer, chin in his hand and completely involved in the workings of his own mind. Tuneless crooning from Starfire echoed around the kitchen and Raven winced. Each had dominion over their own area, but Beast Boy's presence was missing.

The book they'd used for information on the mythical beasts lay on the table, and Raven grabbed it as she glided past Starfire's babbling figure. Legendary creatures were hardly unusual in the typical state of things in Jump City, considering the nature of the villains they'd defeated. And their own, she mused, moving through the corridors. The entire world seemed to be full of weird and fantastical things.

The bubble of noise that was the living room faded away behind her. They'd encountered everything from minor gods to aliens, even a dragon. Raven flinched away from that memory. Malchior's betrayal still stung. The thought of what he would have done if it hadn't been for that book, his weakness, haunted her sometimes.

She dragged her wandering mind back to the present. Compared to all that, a winged lion and a two-headed goat were hardly terrifying. But the shock of seeing a living, breathing chimera after years of painted images… Even she had had to catch her breath. Now the problem was figuring out what they wanted. There must be someone directing them, she thought with a vague frown. The voice in the shadows, before the beast had attacked. Raven had thought it _was_ the chimera for a moment. But no animal would be able to co-ordinate their attacks like this. In the past few days, the things had attacked a number of stores, separately but within moments of each other. A thief, then? Using animals to distract them and steal for him? But nothing had been taken from the shops, Raven thought as she approached her room. Something didn't add up.

She frowned, slowing to a halt. Her door stood a few feet away, yet down the corridor to her left lay Beast Boy's. It wasn't unheard of for the shape shifter to stay in bed this late, but it was nearing afternoon. He'd usually emerge by now, loudly extolling the benefits of tofu over Cyborg's artery-clogging steaks. Although… Raven lay a hand against the wall and stared down the corridor. Lately, Beast Boy's behaviour had seemed a little… off. She couldn't quite but her finger on it. He just didn't seem as… carefree, as usual. Her brows creased again I thought. It was as if something troubling lay behind his smiles.

The others hadn't noticed yet, she didn't think, but there was something wrong. She remembered the chemical poisoning that had led to Beast Boy's transformation into the monster that had saved her life. This couldn't be something similar, could it? Hesitation flitted through her and her eyes narrowed. No, she'd wait a little longer before jumping to conclusions. It was probably nothing. Maybe he'd lost another game to Cyborg. She was imagining things.

But Raven couldn't erase the niggling doubt that said different.

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Hey again. Thanks go to all my reviewers (I love you all SO MUCH). You guys are the incentive, and managed to kick my ass into gear again. Hope you liked this chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

Kay, I have no idea how Beast Boy got like he did, this is all made up (any info on that would be appreciated, by the way ;)), so you can consider it slight AU. Also, I do not own Teen Titans and this entire story is non-profit. Heh, I forgot that in the first chapter. Oops. Here's a Beast Boy POV, hopefully longer than the other chapters (I know, the others just kept getting shorter), and updates may be sporadic, cause I'm lazy.  Also, suggestions on plot devices would be welcome, although can't guarentee that I'll use any, but I need the inspiration. Sorry I don't reply, it takes long enough just getting the chapters out, but know that each and every review was read, squeed over, and kept in the heart. Cause I'm that sad. Anyway, enjoy. Love you all!

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Beast Boy sat cross-legged on the windowsill, staring out at the sunset with blank eyes. The tranquil sight made no impression, mind and body in turmoil.

He'd stayed locked in his room all day, deaf to Starfire's concerned inquiries. If they thought he was sleeping, all the better. He couldn't face them like this. Not after Robin had seen. The bruises on his hips burnt into his skin, fresher than the ones Robin had glimpsed. Robin. The dark-haired boy smirked less and less, and Beast Boy admitted to himself that he sorely missed the expression. Usually he delighted in twisting the small bird's face into any number of amused grins, anything to keep that vision of self-doubt from lancing through the masked boy's expression. But the titan wasn't leader for nothing. He was curious, Beast Boy flattered himself and thought worried, and he was getting too close. The bruises he'd seen would have sparked questions about its cause. Its cause…

Bile rose in his throat and he closed his eyes tightly, but images of the past few nights continued to flash through his mind. Shuddering with self-disgust, he finally forced the pictures from his mind.

He'd been stupid. Young and naïve and ever so foolish. After the doctors, the cages, the experiments… He frowned out at the fading sunlight darkly. His escape was more luck than anything else. And after so long in stifling captivity, freedom had seemed too good to be true.

It was. He hadn't known what to do with himself, faced with this power he hadn't understood and could barely control. He'd been strange and alone in the midst of fearful, curious faces. A group of young teens had cornered him one night, not much older than he was now, scornful and vicious. He hadn't known what to do. He couldn't use his power on them; they were people, kids. He'd be no better than the doctors who'd imprisoned him. So he'd cowered and wept; a tiny, sniffling target for their sharp rocks. Then he'd been saved. A dark figure that exuded power and the boys had fled. In return, the Changeling had agreed to let the figure train him, mould him, make him stronger.

If only he'd known, then, that the dark, mysterious stranger offering him serenity was nothing more than a cold-blooded reptile that killed for pleasure.

But he'd managed to escape yet again. It had taken more blood and death than he'd ever seen, but it'd shaken him out of the thirst. And he'd run, once again. As far as he could go, until the land warmed and he no longer recognised the stars.

But not far enough.

The snake had found him again, trailing his dog and his bird, and he wanted him back.

Beast Boy shook his head irritably. He would not think of Arran's offer. The full moon was over for another month, at least. Arran would be calling on him less. They were practically werewolves, the three of them. He knew their powers were like his, but every full moon they seemed to get stronger. More… assertive. A shiver ran through him and, god, was he _blushing_?

He pushed away from the window angrily. They were monsters; thieves and murderers. And _he_… Beast Boy smacked a hand against the wall. There was no word for what he was, a beast, a monster, the devil in human form. More than his hands were stained with blood and his heart was dead and grey. He seduced and coerced people into following him, induced them to give in. And by the end there was only the bloodthirsty animal.

Sharp pain arced through his knuckles and Beast Boy started. His hand was buried in the wall. "Fuck." Removing his hand, he wiggled his fingers lightly and winced. "Jesus." He leant his forehead against the cool, dented wall. It'd been a long time since he'd lost control like that. He shouldn't have, not now. He was a Titan now, a _defender_ of the innocent. He didn't chase the wind anymore, run in the moonlight just to feel alive. He didn't prowl the streets anymore, hiding in shadows and glorying in the fear he wrought. He didn't stalk the innocent, tensing for the hunt, eager for the taste of blood. He shouldn't _want_ to.

"I'm not an animal." Hands pressed against chilling metal, he closed his eyes again. "God, I'm _not_." But then, why did he feel this way? Why did he go so easily to Arran's embrace? Why did something in him burn for the heat and the blood and the _torment_ that Arran so readily provided?

And why, oh god why, did he want nothing more than to sink his teeth into Robin's neck and suck him dry?


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks for all the advice and reviews, they were all greatly appreciated.

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Screaming filled the air as some of Jump City's emotional inhabitants raced by them. Glass lay shattered in the street, a glittering carpet laid out before a line of smashed windows. Electrical equipment littered the pavement, strewn with books and tattered clothes. A crow was hopping amid the wreckage, cawing delightedly.

"They've broken into every store." Raven scoured the road warily. Beside her, Cyborg knelt down to inspect a shattered stereo.

"Looks like everything's been destroyed," he said, frowning. "All this has been shredded. More work of our monsters, probably."

"Then they do not want to steal?" Starfire asked, landing gently near Robin. The red-headed alien looked confused. "But why destroy everything?"

"For the pleasure." Beast Boy had his arms crossed and his face was turned away, watching the crow. Robin narrowed his eyes at him.

"They spread chaos and destruction at will, for their own amusement." The shape shifter's gaze flickered to him then away. Finally Robin looked back at the damaged scene. "It doesn't matter what they're trying to do, we have to stop them."

Suddenly a ragged bookcase came flying towards them. Raven deflected the missile with a growl and a slash of power. The misshapen form of the chimaera leapt out of another building and crouched in the middle of the street. Both its heads were growling ferociously. Robin fell into an offensive stance with practised ease. "Titans, go!"

With the effortlessness that came from months of working as a team, the titans divided. Cyborg and Robin charged towards the hulking creature as, behind them, Raven and Starfire rose into the air. After a moment of hesitation, Beast Boy joined them.

The chimaera dodged a rain of star bolts, its massive paws thudding against the tarmac. Robin grabbed his staff, using its extended reach to flip himself up and over the chimaera. He twisted in mid-air, away from the wolf's snapping jaws. Beast Boy's hawk form dived past him. His talons slashed ineffectually at the chimaera's eyes. A slash of claws and he dodged away. They couldn't blind sight it, Robin realised with a frown. Some part of his mind was working, calculating, even as he faked left and landed a swift hook kick to the creature's ribs.

Cyborg followed him with a series of rapid punches, driving the chimaera back. It roared in outrage. Beast Boy flowed into the shape of a bull and charged towards it. He was batted away with one clawed paw and slammed into Starfire. Broken objects rained down on the chimaera, pulled up from the street by Raven's telekinetic power, occasionally connecting with a dull thud and a snarl.

"Azarath, Metrion, _Zinthos_!" The tarmac erupted and the chimaera went flying. Starfire rose above its growling form, her hands glowing green. Abruptly its serpentine tail whipped around as the animal stood. With a startled yelp Starfire dodged away.

"Star!" Robin grabbed an explosive disk from his belt, already rushing towards them. The chimaera turned in time to thrust off Cyborg, the wolf's teeth cracking through the metal on his arm. Cyborg yelled in pain. The disks exploded at the chimaera's feet and it backed off. "Cyborg, are you alright!" The half-robot stood with a grimace.

"Nothing a little elbow grease won't fix." Beast Boy transformed into a tiger and leapt on the beast, jaws immediately reaching for the back of a neck. One of Robin's Birdarangs whizzed by in a midst of starbolts and the chimaera rolled away. Beast Boy lost his grip as he was slammed into the cracked road. His body melted into its human form as an eagle's talon came down heavily on his chest, pressing him into the tarmac. Snarling weakly, he scrabbled at the griffin's foot as he struggled to draw breath.

"Beast Boy!" Robin was thrust away by a back paw. The griffin stared at him coldly. Beast Boy glared up at it, anger thrumming through his veins as he felt pain shoot through his ribs. Distantly he could hear the others still fighting.

"Birdbrain! Get the… hell offa me!" he rasped out. His nails lengthened into claws and he snarled, feeling the prick of enlarged canines on his lower lip. A blue beam slammed into the griffin and it reeled back, screeching. An answering roar from further away and the griffin leapt into the air. A glance down the street saw that the chimaera was racing off too.

"After them!" Robin knelt by Beast Boy briefly as he gasped for air. "You alright?" His tone was brisk and impersonal, mind already chasing the animals. Beast Boy ignored the sharp stab of depression he felt and pushed him away.

"I'll be fine. Go!" A brief hesitation, then Robin nodded and he was gone.

Beast Boy rolled onto his front, hand on his chest as his breath slowed. The tarmac dug into his skin uncomfortably. He could hear distant explosions rock the city as the titans drew further away. Around him lay the scattered equipment from the stores; silent shadows under the flickering streetlamps.

"Hello, kitten."

His heart skipped. Breath caught, frozen in his lungs, Beast Boy looked up. The man stood against an alley wall, long limbs crossed and eyes mocking.

"Arran." Tingling apprehension spread through his skin and he was suddenly hyper-aware of the dark, empty street. He clenched his fist. Robin was across town, chasing shadows. Safe. "What are you doing here?" A dull sense of monotony occurred to him. He was always being haunted by this man. His personal Slade.

"Did you miss me?"

"Go fuck yourself," Beast Boy spat. Already the beast was reacting to the scent of him, to the feel of his eyes. It knew what Beast Boy dreaded. Arran raised an eyebrow.

"I see your cheerful temperance is serving you well. I didn't teach you obscenities. At least, none to be used in this context." The titan snarled at him. Arran glanced around him at the torn and littered street. "It looks like my beasts have been doing nicely."

"Doing what, exactly?" Beast Boy knelt on the tarmac, surrounded by motionless shapes. The wind was getting colder, sending shivers across his skin. And there was a dangerous heat in those violet eyes. "Why are you here? I thought you let your pets do all your dirty work for you." If there was a hint of bitterness in his tone, Beast Boy ignored it.

"All pets need some supervision. Don't you agree, kitten?" Beast Boy frowned.

"You came here to check on them?" Arran's laughter echoed in the narrow alley and he flinched.

"I'm not that altruistic. They serve their purpose. As did you, once. Don't you remember?"

Beast Boy cut short the flow of memories before he could be overwhelmed. "What do you _want_?" A moment of silence fell between them as Arran turned to stare at the sky. Caught in that moment of stillness, Beast Boy could almost believe he was back north, waiting nervously for the dark-haired man's praise or censure. But that was over. He would not be that naïve again.

"What are you doing in Jump City?"

"What? I'm a Titan. I… help people." He stared at the man warily. Arran was cunning and manipulative. Too often had he turned something on its head just by presenting it from another angle. He was a lot like Robin that way, some part of his mind commented idiotically.

"Why?" Arran slipped towards him like a shadow, dressed head to toe in black. "What makes you think you're anything but a hindrance to them?" He came closer, and Beast Boy scrambled to his feet. Then the impact of what Arran had just said hit him.

"What! That's ridiculous. I'm the only one that actually looks on the bright side of anything! They couldn't fight without me against Solo! They'd be nothing without me!" He forgot his fear to get closer, gesturing wildly as he fought his own doubts. "I'm the _heart_ of this team!"

"You're _replaceable_." Arran's cool, implacable tone cut through his hectic monologue. "Dear kitten, do you really believe they do more than tolerate you? Do you think Raven would care if your jokes stopped? Or the others?" He caught Beast Boy's hands in his own, watched the claws fade back into fingernails. The green-eyed boy stared at Arran's chest blankly, the low words echoing the suspicion he'd felt every time he was left behind. "Do you honestly believe Robin looks at you with more than frustration in his eyes? You're a _joke_."

Images flashed through his mind. Countless times he'd been ignored, pushed away. Raven's obvious contempt, Cyborg's tolerance, Stafire's ignorant naivety. And Robin's exasperation. He was a nuisance, above anything else.

"That's a lie!" he protested, weakly struggling against the taller man's hold.

"You know it's true. You're the weakest member of the titans. With them, you're a pest." Arran knew his weak points too well, Beast Boy told himself. He was being manipulated, a puppet on a string, just like those beasts. He opened his mouth to object, to deny, _anything_. Nothing came out. Wide eyes stared up at Arran. "But with me…" Arran's lips brushed against his own as he spoke. Beast Boy swayed towards him, helpless and hating himself. "With me, you are so much more."

In the middle of the darkened street, the beast responded to Arran's savagery, and Beast Boy closed his eyes against it all.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N: Many plot bunnies assualted me last night, so have no fear should updates slow. Reviews help, however. :)


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry for the wait, just settling back into Uni. Thank you so much for all your reviews. To **Tim**, Asmodeus is the demon of lust according to some theories, but that's open to debate. As for everyone's Robin-related inquiries, you're just going to have to wait and see. Also, I'm trying to make this fit Beast Boy's canon past (Changeling's in the older titan team), so if there are any discrepancies, please just blink and ignore. Much appreciated. I also now have something resembling a plot, and am quite proud of it. It looks like this'll be split into two parts, this one ending at around chapter 16 or 17.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

After a long while of lying curled up on his bed, Beast Boy finally decided to approach the communal living area. Memories of the past night haunted him and he trembled slightly as he moved.

Pausing just outside the larger room, he cast a quick glance around. On the sofa sat Cyborg and Raven, the former going through a stack of DVDs while the latter alternately read or watched, adding an occasional sarcastic comment. Robin sat at the computer, no doubt trying to piece together a pattern from the attacks. Beast Boy felt a brief flash of guilt that he wouldn't - couldn't - help him.

At any rate, they wouldn't be around long enough for Robin to give them a place on his wall of villains. He would get them out of the city somehow. And soon.

Beast Boy shook away his thoughts, unwilling to face reality in the cold light of day. He commanded his body to cease its idiotic shaking and walked forward nervously.

Starfire popped up unexpectedly as he entered, frowning in concern. "Beast Boy, have you recovered? We did not see you come home last night." The alien hovered over him, hands outstretched but restrained, as if touching his skin would break him in half. Beast Boy managed a half-hearted smile. Always Starfire's gentle naivety managed to soothe his mood. Now, her obvious distress bolstered his wounded confidence. _Arran's wrong,_ he thought fiercely. _They need me as much as I need them._

"I'm fine, Star, thanks." Stretching lazily he thought he saw Robin turn away. Mentally shrugging, he started towards the couch, determined to get back to his old, happy-go-lucky self. Starfire dropped to her feet and followed after him. "What happened, though? I missed everything after that _fucking bird_ got me." The red-headed girl started at the language and Robin looked up, frowning. "What?"

"Easy, man." Cyborg glanced at him in astonishment. "It could've been worse."

"Ah, right." Beast Boy felt a tinge of annoyance at the need to restrain himself in front of his best friends. "So what happened?"

"It disappeared," Raven answered from behind her book. "Again."

"We lost it somewhere on fifth," Cyborg elaborated, turning back to his DVDs. "Turned a corner and it was gone; ran into some idiot wolf looking for scraps."

"Stupid mutt," he muttered quietly, then, louder, "What about the griffin?" The psychic shrugged and Starfire shook her head, baffled.

"Raven and I followed it across the town, but it dived between the buildings and… nothing." They looked baffled and Beast Boy had a sudden flash of pride. _Shows them,_ he thought fiercely. _They'll never doubt my abilities again._

"So what now?" he inquired neutrally. Cyborg sat back, stretching languidly. His wounded arm had been repaired, Beast Boy noticed.

"Wait for them to make the next move. We need more information right now." He nodded to where the masked boy sat diligently in front of the massive computer. "Robin's looking at everything we've got, trying to find a pattern, or to see if-"

"If there's a record for them," the shape shifter finished, long since familiar with the process. He'd have no luck, Beast Boy knew. Even Arran's lackeys knew enough to stay under the radar.

"He's been at it for hours," Raven commented indifferently. Beast Boy couldn't suppress an infantile grin at the unintended double meaning. Beside her the android shrugged.

"Isn't he always? Which movie should we watch, then?" Deserting the three titans to their sudden interest in the assorted DVD pile, the green-haired boy moved towards the silent member. Robin was hunched over the desk, frowning in concentration. Beast Boy leant his head on the other boy's shoulder and peered at the screen interestedly.

"Hey, man, need any help?" Robin shrugged him off roughly.

"Not now, Beast Boy." The shape shifter stumbled back. Unable to mask the hurt he felt at the other boy's harsh treatment, Beast Boy stared at him.

"Dude, I just wanted to help."

"Can't you see I'm busy?" Robin went back to ignoring him and he growled softly.

"Fine, whatever, dude." He stalked back to the sofa, seething with rage. What, they could pick him up when they wanted to and just ignore him when they didn't? He wasn't a fucking _pet_! As he leant his arms on the back of the sofa, Starfire floated over to Robin's exclusive bubble of space. Beast Boy watched her angrily from the corner of his eye.

"Robin, you have been working for many hours," she commented anxiously, leaning over him in a way that made Beast Boy want to break her fingers. "You must take a break! Working so hard is not good for you! We all will be watching a film of adventure, won't you please join us?" The dark-haired boy glanced up and Beast Boy willed him to push her away as he'd done to him. But after a moment of hesitation, Robin nodded his head.

"Sure. A break couldn't hurt." With a cheerful smile, Starfire led the titan back to the others. Beast Boy had to tug his fingers from the couch, the material caught between his claws. _Not so needed after all, then?_ a tiny voice murmured in his ear. Beast Boy told it emphatically to shut up.

"Hey." Raven arched an eyebrow at him. "What's wrong with you?" He almost snarled at her.

"There is nothing wrong with me," he stressed. _Not any more,_ the little voice added snidely.

A hand thumped down on his shoulder and Beast Boy winced. "Hey, man, what's up? You're gonna watch the film, yeah?"

"Na, thanks Cy." He turned away, missing the glance that passed between the two titans. "Maybe later, yeah?" The group barely noticed as he left.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N: I tried to capture Star's naivety, but not sure I did brilliantly. At any rate, reviews are welcome, and, since I have the next chapter written, the more I get, the sooner it'll go up. Mwah.


	8. Chapter 8

XOXOXO

Hands clasped loosely behind his back, Slade stood motionless, waiting. Shadows lingered in the pale moonlight, defying its bright luminosity in the knowledge that its presence was slowly waning. No matter its brave front, the shadows would always endure.

Slade considered this one of life's greatest ironies. How could the heroes gain victory when nature itself mocked their efforts?

A black crow landed on the roof, tilted its head in silent inquiry. Slade traced its glossy feathers with his eyes. All had been quiet in the city, even in the tower. His own plans were maturing steadily, but the appearance of these two new figures had made him hesitate. They'd triggered the titans' alarms twice now, but had done little, really, to warrant their capture. Yet, at least. Slade frowned. Their actions mirrored his own too closely: they were testing each child, examining their abilities. Doing so, their movements were unpredictable.

Slade did not like unpredictable elements.

The bird hopped towards his figure, cawed curiously. Slade ignored it.

In order to remedy the situation, he'd extended his hand in friendship. Under his sight and direction, perhaps their intrusion could be turned to his advantage.

Abruptly Slade looked up. Nothing had disturbed the shadows, but he was no longer alone. The crow fluttered to perch on the metal railings, only the gleam of his beak showing in the darkness. A pale figure detached from the shadows. Slade waited patiently.

Blue-grey eyes looked out from behind ashen bangs, strikingly cold and narrowed into thin slits. Sculpted lips were set in a tight line, but his slender body moved with natural, unconscious grace. The overall picture was one of controlled elegance, but there was something… feral about this youth.

"What have you called us here for?" Slade raised an invisible eyebrow.

"Where _is_ your companion?" _Or is that the royal 'we'?_

"We felt that his presence was not necessary." Slade made no reply, irritation blooming at this obvious belittlement of his skills. The boy (for he could not be more than twenty at the most) tilted his head, blond hair falling across his eyes in a disarming, inviting gesture. Slade briefly considered the play of moonlight across his equally pale features. He might have considered the boy attractive, but all spirit, all _life_, had been sucked out of this bleached figure long ago. "But we did not come here to talk of companions, did we? One's adversaries are so much more interesting, don't you agree?" Slade noted the plural use of companion, wondered if he was speaking in abstract, or if he had missed a third figure. His eyes narrowed.

"Particularly if they are one and the same," Slade agreed, voice echoing slightly over the connection. If there was one thing he was adept at, it was this game of manipulation. This emotionless figure, however, would be difficult to break. It was emotions that broke you, made you weak. Without them, Slade had no power. But everyone has a weakness. He merely had to find the proverbial chink in this one's armour.

The first rule of combat: know your enemy.

"Indeed." The boy remained still, only his head moving slightly, as if mimicking the motion of the wind. "What is it you wish to ask of us?" Slade's eyes narrowed to thin slits and he pressed his lips together. In one swift, politely worded question, their positions had been reversed, and _he_ was the supplicant begging for a favour. A cackling laugh reminded him of the cow's presence and he frowned, angry at himself for letting the boy's words get to him.

"I do not wish anything of you. I am here, rather, to offer _you_ something." Ignoring the amused, expectant look, he continued. "A temporary alliance. I'm sure you could only benefit from my… guidance."

Of all the reactions Slade had expected, he was least prepared for the one directed at him now. The boy laughed at him, eyes glinting and teeth flashing white. Slade's jaw clenched. He would not tolerate being laughed at.

"We have no need of your _guidance_, Slade. Even less of your presence in our city." A cold anger threatened his control at this boy's sheer arrogance. _Their_ city? The blond made a small, sharp gesture, and the crow fluttered over to him. With a subdued caw, it settled on his wrist, nipping at the boy's fingers. "Your offer is very flattering, but we respectfully decline. Although we wish you luck in your endeavours with the Redbreast." Blue-grey eyes glanced at him as the boy stepped back into the shadows. "Perhaps next time we will meet on less cordial terms." And Slade was left alone in the thinning moonlight.

XOXOXO


	9. Chapter 9

To whoever was talking about the batarang (I'm sorry I've totally forgotten who, and am too lazy to check), I'm pretty sure it's actually called a birdarang, but I won't change the earlier chapters till the whole thing's finished, I imagine. Also, this occurs some time after the series - the titans have aged a few years, at least. But I'm not totally up to speed on the latest episodes, so feel free to fudge over the inconsistencies.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Beast Boy sat on the edge of the roof, legs dangling over the side. The moon was almost full tonight; it highlighted every curve of the ocean as the water rolled gently against the rocks.

Leaning back on his hands, he tilted his head towards the stars. He let his mind fall blank, or as blank as he could get it, wandering over the touch of stone on his palm and the salt-sweet tang of the water. The stars glinted in the dark sky, bright even against the city's glow. It was times like this, Beast Boy mused, with the urban district out of sight and nature spread out before him, that he really did wish he could leap into the wind and fly away. Away from all this… confusion.

He looked at the stars again, mapping the constellations with his eyes. He found the Little Dipper, traced its handle to the North Star. "You're bright tonight, Little Bear."

"It's the season." Beast Boy jolted, turning to see Robin leaning against the wall.

"How long have you been there?" he asked suspiciously. The other boy shrugged.

"A while." He uncrossed his arms and came to stand beside him. Beast Boy frowned, annoyed with himself that he could never seem to hear Robin move. If it weren't for the occasional scent trail, he wouldn't be able to pin the boy without his eyes. "What are you doing?"

Rolled his eyes. "I'm in the middle of a meeting, what the hell does it look like I'm doing?" Robin merely raised his eyebrows silently. He wouldn't take any of Beast Boy's shit, endured it simply by staring at him and waiting for an answer. Beast Boy gestured to the stars awkwardly. "It's a clear night." The other boy tilted his head in understanding, implicitly and immediately grasping what Beast Boy meant; he could see better, sure, but also that each of his other senses had a clear field. Tonight was a night made solely for the predator, and he felt it too.

Robin came to stand behind him. "I didn't know you knew the constellations."

"There's a lot you don't know," he replied sullenly. Robin remained silent, merely gazing at him steadily. Beast Boy glanced at him and rolled his eyes. "I was out with no cover a lot; you get to know them after a while. I didn't know their names or anything, just what they - what they looked like to me." _What they said to me._

"Hmm." Robin swung his legs over the edge to sit beside him. "That one's Ursa Minor," he said quietly. When Beast Boy didn't reply, he went on. "Its bigger counterpart is Ursa Major over there, and that one that looks like a snake-"

"Draco, yeah. I… I know that one already." Draconis, the dragon. Of course he'd know that one. "How d'you know all these?" he asked with genuine curiosity. He knew Robin had been tutored by the Batman (god, who didn't?), but he didn't know the little details that added up and shaped him as a person. He wanted to.

"Same reason, really. In case we were stuck in the wild, so we could find our way home again."

"Like a good little Boy Scout," Beast Boy grinned. Robin glanced at him sideways. An answering smile tugged at his lips.

"Don't start. If you'd known them when you were out there" he made a sweeping gesture towards the moon-kissed ocean, "you wouldn't've had to learn them fresh, would you?" Beast Boy merely stuck out his tongue. Snorting, Robin bopped him on the head.

"Hey." He poked Robin solidly in the ribs a few times, smirking by his ear. The other boy gave a tolerant sigh and pushed his face away. Beast Boy came back with an impish grin and nimble, tickling fingers. Robin fended him off half-heartedly.

"Aren't we getting a little too old for this?" he asked finally, breathing deeply. They sat with their sides touching, the heat from Robin's arm and thigh seeping through comfortingly.

"Na, man. You can never be too old for a tickling session. 'Cept maybe when you're wrinkly and brittle and sagging past your knees."

Robin snickered. "Nice."

"I try." His grin faded into a complacent smile, and Beast Boy sat quietly on the roof, listening to every breath Robin took. He was surrounded by his scent, something like summer, gunmetal and fresh laundry, a blend he'd long ago stopped trying to identify, uniquely Robin. Everything else faded to the background, and he was left with this moment, staring out at the star-spangled sky and feeling the heartbeat of another person against his own ribs.

The boy beside him ducked his head, speaking quietly so as not to disturb the relaxed atmosphere that had settled around them so suddenly. "What's happened between you and Raven? You don't seem as… close, as usual." Beast Boy felt a self-deprecating grin curl his lips.

"You mean, why haven't I been hanging on her robe recently?" Robin opened his mouth but said nothing. "It was easy to like her, safe, almost. I could always count on her to reject me. Sounds weird, huh?" A shake of his head, but the other boy didn't speak. "It's been a pretty long time since I've felt the need to hide. We've been Titans a while now and… I've grown up a lot since then." He shrugged, unable to express things any more clearly without saying something like 'because I've been wanting to jump your bones for the past six months'. "What about you and Star?" The Boy Wonder had been a little distant with her recently. But that was hardly abnormal these days.

Robin sat beside him and gazed up at the stars silently for a moment. Beast Boy didn't rush him.

"We've both been thinking things over. When it comes down to it, she's Tamaranean, and I'm not." He shrugged. "I guess you could say… I grew up a lot too." Beast Boy wondered if it was appropriate to ask if he was single now. Probably not. "You know, we haven't really sparred together in a while." Beast Boy grinned. Robin liked to call it sparring, when he fought with Beast Boy in one of his animal forms. Most of the time it degenerated into boy-cat wrestling matches; the rest was just play. These days, Beast Boy was too worried about accidentally hurting him. Or, worse, deliberately.

"Na, you've been too scared I'll run off with your 'bo again," he said lightly, shaking off his thoughts. One of the times Beast Boy had found an opening in Robin's defence and been able to take advantage of it, he'd nabbed the Boy Wonder's bo stick and ran around Titans' Tower with it dangling from his mouth. He'd smashed several plates and almost crushed the table with 500 pounds of pure tiger. Raven had not been happy.

Snort. "I seriously doubt that." They shared a companionable grin and then Beast Boy looked back out at the rolling waves. He could feel Robin studying him and raised an eyebrow in inquiry. But the boy hesitated and shook his head. "We have training tomorrow."

"I know, six am sharp. Seriously, dude, these early mornings are SO not good for my skin tone. I have bags under my eyes. Actual bags." Robin leaned in close to him, inspecting his face carefully. Beast Boy swallowed. He could feel the puff of the other boy's breath on his own mouth. Beast Boy rubbed his damp palms on the material of his suit, heart beating in his throat.

"Looks fine to me." Robin backed off a little and inclined his head to the side. A ray of moonlight picked out the pale, slender column of his neck. Beast Boy's eyes fixed on it, and he realised with a jolt that he couldn't look away. "Cyborg wants to test out the new obstacle course. It should be good training." He couldn't smell anything but Robin, couldn't hear anything except Robin's heartbeat. Oh, god, he had to get out of here. "Beast Boy." Startled, he looked up. Robin was staring at him silently. "You're worried about your control." He jerked.

"What!"

"You haven't relaxed in months, since before these new attacks. It's getting harder to control. Isn't it?" Beast Boy snorted. He thought it was the beast within. Leave it to Robin to figure out the problem while still missing the cause completely. If only it were that simple.

"Yes," he answered simply.

"You _can_ control it, Beast Boy."

"How do you know? How can you be sure I _won't_ give in?" Beside him Robin slid back onto the roof.

"Because if I jumped off this roof right now, I know you'd catch me. I _trust _you, Beast Boy." With that parting shot he turned and walked back into the Tower.

Beast Boy closed his eyes painfully. He could still feel the raging thirst Robin had unwittingly roused throbbing through his body. "Maybe you shouldn't."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Less than an hour later he stood in the dark forest outside the city.

Two metres in front of him, Arran raised a dark eyebrow. "Well, kitten, I didn't expect to see you so soon." Beast Boy slammed him against a tree.

"Shut up." Sharpened claws ripped apart the man's black turtleneck easily. A low laugh echoed in Beast Boy's ears, and abruptly their positions were reversed.

"Then I will hear _you_ scream."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

For BB's weight as a tiger, I'm taking into account that he's an adolescent: fully aged male Siberian tigers weigh about 650 pounds (that's a whole lot to gain in .5 seconds).

WAAH. See you next time. x


	10. Chapter 10

I'm really, really sorry for the massive time lapse between the last chapter and this one. My laptop broke around Easter and I lost practically all my previous notes and plot theories, so I had to pick up again from scratch. Then I had end of year exams in the summer. Also, I heard that Gackt might be coming to Europe on tour, so I spent a few days in sheer bliss for that. Forgive me? It's not abandoned, promise, but with everything going on this year, updates may be sporadic. Just a warning. I love this fic, though, so I'm not going to abandon it anytime soon. Thanks, Lasae.

IMPORTANT NOTE PLEASE READ: I am going to warn you here and now that after the second of these XOXOXOXO breaks, there will be an R-rated scene. It's too vague for true-hearted NC-17, so I believe it's legal for this site, but it's somewhat risqué, so BEWARE. The start of a new, sinfully delicious form of slash. I don't want any complaining because I warned you in plenty of time, alright? Good, now enjoy.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

As the sun rose over the ocean, Cyborg closed the diagnosis panel on his arm, inordinately pleased with himself. His newest obstacle course lay out before the gathered Titans in open invitation. His arm had been repaired and revamped after that dog-thing had decided to use it as a new chew toy, and he was raring to go. These new monsters were simply another challenge, and all they needed to beat them was better training, a different strategy. He believed in that firmly, as he believed in nothing else.

Robin was at the control desk, familiarising himself with the new layout. Not even the main terminal had escaped an overhaul as Cyborg tailored the entire course to reflect the differing powers of their newest enemies. The girls stood in the shadow of the Tower, one hovering over the ground in her eagerness to begin, the other sullen and waiting. But the absence of one member was glaringly obvious.

"Hey." He rotated his arm, working out the kinks in his system and feeling the circuits shift almost like bone. "Where's Beast Boy?" It wasn't unusual for the green-toned boy to sleep late, but when Robin called for a meeting, whether mid-afternoon or midnight, he turned up. Especially when it might affect their chances against villains.

The girls glanced around, almost as if expecting the missing boy to jump out and yell 'Surprise!', Cyborg thought with an amused snort. Starfire floated a little higher. "I do not see him. Perhaps he is still sleeping?" Raven shrugged.

"Wouldn't be the first time he missed out on practice."

"Yeah, it would," Cyborg answered shortly, annoyed . "Without a good reason, anyway," he amended at Raven's disapproving frown.

Robin didn't even pause in his analysis. "We'll have to start without him; he can catch up later." Cyborg knew the masked boy envisioned multiple laps around the improved course, and he winced. Around him various machines rose from the ground and settled there, primed for attack. "Starfire, you start." The girl nodded briskly and flew towards the first of the obstacles.

Frowning, Cyborg crossed his massive arms and stood beside Raven. They watched the alien girl dodge her way through the gauntlet in silence for a moment. "What do you think's up with Beast Boy?" he asked quietly. She'd been closest to the shape shifter for a while, after all. Surely she'd be the one with the most knowledge about him. Except, perhaps, for Robin.

But Raven gave another half-hearted shrug. "Beats me." A pause as Starfire destroyed one his targets. "It could be the beast again, gaining control," she suggested with a quick look. "Same symptoms."

"Mmm." His answer was noncommittal. Cyborg wasn't sure, was rarely sure when it came to Beast Boy and his powers, but he didn't think it was the radiation-triggered savagery that was behind this latest personality change. It seemed too easy an answer. Assuredly there was something wrong; a certain vicious disregard had emerged over the past month or so, one that was so wholly uncharacteristic of Beast Boy, he'd noticed it almost immediately. Little things, only perceptible when he slipped up. But he'd been doing that an awful lot lately.

Abruptly Strafire came to rest beside them, a little dusty but grinning in victory. All that was left of the course was a few smoking pieces of steel and some scorch marks. Cyborg groaned. "Star, did you have to decimate the thing? Now, I've got to build it again!"

"I am sorry, Cyborg, I did not mean to-" He waved away her apologies with a light-hearted grin.

"No worries, Star. I'll make it even better, next time." He shrugged off his concern about Beast Boy. It wasn't anything serious yet, anyway.

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Beast Boy reached out for the communicator, arching a little against the body behind him. The action elicited a purring growl and he smirked.

"Beast Boy here." He pressed back with his thigh, grinning when the flesh behind him hardened.

"Beast Boy, where are you?" It was Robin, clipped and rigid and obviously annoyed. "You missed training this morning."

"Training?" Brows furrowed, he glanced up. Sunlight shone through the leafy canopy dazzlingly from almost directly above them. Now that he was thinking clearly, he did remember something about an early session. He rubbed a hand over his face and rolled onto his front. "Shit, Robin, I'm sorry. I went out for a run last night and I must have fallen asleep out here. I'll be ba-" Just then fingers gripped his hips hard and teeth fastened over the back of his neck. He let out a whimper, even as his head dropped and he arched back into the caress.

"Beast Boy? Beast Boy, are you still there?" The shape shifter scrabbled to grasp the radio he'd dropped.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm here, I-" A hitched breath as he was spread open from behind. "I'll be back in a bit." _Go away, just go away_, he begged. To be doing this while Robin spoke was torment, a thousand kinds of wrong; infinite agony as his low tones slid over Beast Boy's skin and made him shake with want.

"Alright, good. But don't miss another session, Beast Boy, alright? We need this practice."

"Yessssss," he hissed, spine arching as Arran slid into him.

"I want you to try scent-tracking the animals tonight, Beast Boy. If we can isolate them on our own terms we might have a better chance of defeating them."

"Yeah, 'kay." Beast Boy was steadily sliding into incoherence, his fingers tearing into the ground in an effort to ignore the push-pull of Arran's dark energy as his body moved steadily over his own.

"Also, Raven has a few ideas on trapping the griffin: it would be much easier to fight if it was earthbound." He let out a low, breathy moan and Robin paused. "Beast Boy, are you alright?"

"Fi-ine. Keep - keep talking." It had to be some kind of violation, he was sure, getting off on Robin's voice while Arran fucked him into the ground. But _god_ he was _melting_ and it felt _so good_.

"Cyborg is fixing his obstacle course so you can run the gauntlet when you come back. It ran into some problems this morning that he needs to mend, too." Beast Boy's vision went dark as he came. He collapsed, shuddering in exhaustion and sapped of energy. Behind him Arran withdrew, curling around him possessively. Beast Boy went back to the communicator, momentarily pushing away the dark, cloying sense of shame that came hand in hand with Arran's touch.

"Alright, thanks, Robin. I'll see you in a bit. Beast Boy out." He dropped the radio before the Boy Wonder could say any more. Teeth bit into his shoulder as a savage reminder of where he was, and Beast Boy turned back to the other figure. He would stop this, stop coming every time Arran called. He would.

Beast Boy sighed. He knew better than to lie to himself.

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XD I love my life.


	11. Chapter 11

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After their rather strenuous workout, the Titans had filed back to the Tower to lounge around and act like regular teenagers. Robin turned to the stereo, the resonating base immediately calming him, pumping in tune with his heart. Not that they'd been run off their feet, exactly. Jump City had been eerily quiet in the past month, as if these new animals had scared off their usual opponents. A circumstance Robin couldn't figure out: they were only animals, after all, and although he was sure someone had to be controlling them (there'd been that voice, briefly, in the warehouse), their presence wasn't enough to scare off the Titans' enemies.

He leaned back against the stereo, feeling the beat reverberate through his bones.

One corner of their massive living room was taken up by Raven, meditating silently. Starfire and Cybrog hovered near the kitchen, the former digging eagerly through various ingredients and the latter reluctantly helping. Again, Beast Boy's absence was glaringly obvious, but this time there was a reason for it. He'd sentenced Beast Boy to an hour in the training room, and with a little grumbling, he'd gone. The extra practice was needed after the boy had missed this morning's drills. Robin frowned a little. Despite Beast Boy's brief explanation, of having merely crashed in the forest after a hard run, he wasn't wholly convinced. Although Beast Boy's punctuality was far from reputable, it wasn't often that he skipped out on anything to do with the Titans. Especially not when predetermined and at a point as critical as this. It just wasn't like him.

A loud commotion came from the kitchenette as something smashed. He wrinkled his nose as a sour, noxious scent wafted by. Another disastrous attempt at cooking courtesy of Starfire, no doubt. After a minute he had to discreetly bury his nose in his cape, breathing in the scent of fresh laundry and metal.

Living with Beast Boy, who was practically led by his nose, all this time had made him more familiar with scent as a recognition device. Not to mention it made tracking a hell of a lot easier. Robin didn't catalogue scents the way he knew Beast Boy did, assigning a person to each one rather than the other way around, but he took notice of them. Raven's was always a mixture of old books and some gothic perfume. Cyborg smelled like ozone, something to do with his mechanical parts, Robin assumed. He settled on the couch, studying the respective titans and relaxing for a brief moment. Starfire didn't smell quite like anything he knew: it came close to citrus, strong and sweet and a touch overpowering. Whereas Beast Boy… He paused, contemplating the last titan. Beast Boy smelled like fresh air and the sea wind. Too much time spent in the sky. He'd probably taste the same.

Okay, he had not just thought that.

Grimacing, Robin shifted uncomfortably. There were moments, long moments, when his mind was taken up with puzzling out an enemy, or devising a new strategy for the team. In those moments, every facet of his mind was taken up with these problems, and he didn't once think of his other team-mates, even in passing. Or at least, he never used to. And he was sure that nothing had happened, nothing had really changed, but these days it took every ounce of his concentration to focus on the mission. If he slipped (which he seemed to be doing more and more often), his consciousness was invaded with very little effort. In those moments, he found himself, for no apparent reason, thinking about Beast Boy. His eyes, his voice - even his _mouth_ for God's sake - and the end result was that his concentration was ruined, his methodically planned stratagem were destroyed with merely a glance and he got no work done.

It worried him constantly. So many villains had kidnapped his team-mates and held them at ransom against him (Slade immediately came to mind). In the past, whenever Starfire was hurt or threatened he'd become reckless and irritable. Now, at the thought of Beast Boy captured by some rogue or lying broken at his feet, he was incoherent with rage.

And _that_ reaction sent tremors of horrified shock through his body. He didn't understand it, didn't want to, was about as far from comprehending _why_ as _how_.

Only last week he'd been sitting at a computer terminal, trying to keep his mind off the green-skinned boy who sat mere meters behind him, when the afore-mentioned titan had appeared over his shoulder. He'd then proceeded to drape himself over Robin, chest to back and hair tickling his cheek, and nuzzled into Robin's neck. The contact had effectively short-circuited his brain.

He'd shrugged him off, brisk and impersonal, had had to, simply to preserve his peace of mind. The action had hurt Beast Boy, he could tell, but he was resilient enough to get over worse. He'd never truly be wounded by them enough to get angry, Robin thought.

Starfire took that moment to float over from the kitchen. "Robin! We are making cookie dough! Would you like to try some?" The mixture she pulled out was grey with several lumps and bubbled disturbingly.

"Uh, no, thanks, Starfire. I'm not hungry." Momentarily downcast, she spotted Raven by the window and spontaneously returned to her natural, irritatingly happy state. His eyes followed her as she moved, still feeling a little of that old attraction. Starfire was beautiful, that was uncontested, but it'd been her mystery and her sweet, gentle personality that had first drawn Robin to her. They'd been on the edge of dating for what seemed like years, and Robin was well aware that they were regarded as the two pillars of the titan base. But after a while, her sweet edge had turned saccharine, and Robin had struggled through their conversations, searching for something they both had in common. In the end he'd accepted that friendship was all that they could achieve. Besides, their friendship gave more to the team than a relationship. There were too many dangers inherent in allowing one's personal feelings to get in the way of the mission.

_I must be channelling the Bat,_ he thought with a genuine smile. _That line sounded far too familiar._

A seagull floated leisurely past the broad window with its conspicuous call. The afternoon sunlight reflected off its white feathers into the littered room. Sighing at the amount of noise emanating from the kitchenette, Robin sat back and turned up the music.

His thoughts turned back to Beast Boy, still working out in solitude. Guilt ran through him at the thought; he could at least have kept the titan company while he worked through his punishment. Though he himself found isolation infinitely comforting, alone with his thoughts and his body's movements, Beast Boy was the exact opposite. Instinct told Robin that solitude would kill Beast Boy, nothing else.

Decision made, he abandoned the stereo and headed for the training room. Engaged in a verbal battle over the so-called 'cookie dough', no one noticed him leave.

Robin padded down the hallway, a stir of air the only evidence of his passing. The corridors were dimly lit and windowless, a gloomy contrast to the cheery living room. After a few seconds he passed the turn-off to Beast Boy's bedroom. The sight brought the Titan back to the forefront of his mind, yet again.

He didn't quite know when it'd started, when he'd started thinking about Beast Boy so much, and so often. If he could, he'd have passed it off as concern for a team-mate. But no matter how hard he tried to convince himself of that, there were some things you just didn't think about your friends, Robin thought guiltily; like what his hair smelled like, for one, or wondering if he had any hidden scars…

_Or wondering what he looks like when he comes._

Everything else was fuelled by a genuine desire to know him better, understand his little quirks and flaws. It must have been about three, four months since he'd noticed it. One day, an ordinary day, they'd all been laughing - one of Beast Boy's jokes had actually been funny, for once - and afterwards, Beast Boy had smiled at him. A simple, stupid thing, really. Just a smile, head tilted to the side, his green eyes glowing, and Robin's heart had skipped a beat.

He'd tried to brush it off, more than disturbed that he was feeling like this over a boy, but more importantly, over his team-mate, his _friend_. It felt like a betrayal of his trust. During the day he'd suppressed it, that odd, fluttery feeling he'd only ever felt with Starfire, and went on pretending. Only sometimes, in the darkness of his room when his mask dropped and he was as human as the rest of them, did he let go of his fantasies. It wasn't the first time he'd thought in _that way_ about another man - there'd been one or two rather twisted fantasies involving Slade, that he'd rather ignore - but it felt different. It _meant _something. And that scared him like nothing had before.

Abruptly he stopped, brought sharply to a halt by the approaching figure. The green boy was carrying his shirt, covered in a light sheen of sweat and emitting enough pheromones to sink a large horse. He saw Robin but kept walking until they stood opposite each other.

"Hey." Beast Boy ran a tired hand through his hair. "I was just going to take a shower." He looked irritated, his eyes narrowed into slits and his muscles tense. Which did nothing for Robin's state of being. He watched helplessly as a drop of moisture slid down the taut skin of Beast Boy's chest. _Dear God,_ Robin thought faintly. It was times like these, he mused absently, that he really wished he wasn't the leader of the Titans. "You alright?" He glanced up, brows arched.

"Uh, yeah, sure. I was just coming to check on you." That statement seemed to piss Beast Boy off more, judging by the quick, flexing motion made by his pectoral muscles. _It is quite possible I will die of asphyxiation at the mere sight of my team-mate's chest. How ignoble. What _would _Batman think?_

"I can exercise on my own, Robin, I'm not completely incompetent."

"Of course not. You know I didn't mean that." Beast Boy still looked annoyed but he let it go. "I thought you might want some company, but…" he trailed off. Beast Boy shook his head.

"I'm finished. Thanks anyway," he added, unbending a little.

"Sure." There was a pause as they both stood there, each waiting for the other to speak. "Scent-tracking tonight, okay?" The other boy nodded and Robin kept talking, unnerved at his unusual docility. "And it's a full moon, so plenty of light." _What a dumb thing to say._ "I would stay away from the kitchen, for now; Starfire's cooking."

Beast Boy's quirked an eyebrow, suddenly looking rather mischievous and fey-like in the dim light. "And here I thought we wouldn't be facing mortal peril 'til we stepped _outside_ the kitchen." Robin smirked and Beast Boy loosened a little more. "Sorry I missed training."

Robin accepted his apology with a small nod. "It must've been a rough night."

"You have no idea," the other boy said, so softly he almost didn't hear it.

"… We can look for those constellations again tonight, if you like," Robin offered after a moment of silence.

"Thanks, I might take you up on that." Another brief pause, then Beast Boy gestured to the empty corridor behind Robin. "I've got to…"

"Right." He stepped aside, watching the muscles shift under Beast Boy's skin as he moved off and feeling uncharacteristically awkward. The green-toned Titan always moved with a kind of feline grace that few others could imitate. It didn't help that half of the other boy's transformations were cats of one size or another.

Robin cast another glance at the boy's bare back, eyes tracking the sinuous curve of his spine. _Fuck._ He spun around, heading determinedly for the training room: he had a lot of frustration to work off.

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	12. Chapter 12

Sorry for the delay. Last week I was suddenly bombarded by plot bunnies, two for Yu-gi-oh and two more from Gundam Wing. I had to get down some notes, pronto. But, this fic is taking precedence, so here we are. I'm going to bring up the climax, too, so this story should end sooner than I thought. Also, the POV may jump somewhat, from Robin to Beast Boy, which I wanted to avoid, but there were some things that had to be expressed by both.

Luckily, as soon as I started with all this, I was hit by wave after wave of inspiration. I now know how it's going to play out, although the end is still a mystery.

Earlier I was messing with the plot, switching stuff round, and I started talking to myself, things like, 'okay so we need to know about BB feelings, so that here, so then control here, so insert Arran here and' - then I caught what I said and started cracking up. God, I amuse myself.

I do not own Teen Titans, sorry for the delay, this whole story is making no profit etc.

Also, extra long chapter today. Have fun.

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The Titans milled around aimlessly on the street. As Cyborg peered intensely at his scanner, the others wandered over the scene of destruction. Beast Boy trotted down the street, stopped, turned and trotted back. They'd been at this for a few hours, now, trailing over the city in search of a scent long since cold. Shaking his canine head, Beast Boy lifted his muzzle to the sky. He could have told them it'd be a waste of time, that he'd never find a scent. That the triad weren't so stupid as to let themselves be caught, that Arran had heard every word of their plan. That even if he had found something, he couldn't track it to their lair. Wouldn't. He could have told them everything.

But he knew exactly how it would go. Facing a full transformation, there was no way the titans would escape unscathed. And he'd go straight for Robin.

There was something else, too. Revealing his involvement would lay bare his past, everything he'd done under Arran's 'tutelage'. He couldn't bare to see the look in their eyes when they discovered he was nothing more than a cheap whore and a monster. A _murderer_.

Starfire dropped down beside him and he transformed to his normal state, eyes downcast.

"Anything?" Robin asked tightly. Beast Boy shook his head wearily.

"Then we shall find them another way." Irredeemably optimistic, Starfire beamed as she promised them victory, simply by means of another scheme. Beast Boy ignored her. He watched Robin from the corner of his eyes, seeing the fatigue in his stance and the slight droop to his shoulders that spoke of the beginnings of an obsession. Inadvertently, his brows drew together in concern, feeling that ever-present anxiety that came hand in hand with Robin's presence. Finally, he drew his eyes away, reminding himself that half a million people had fallen for the leader of the Titans, and he was simply another statistic.

"How, exactly?" Raven stood with her arms crossed, watching them narrowly.

Beast Boy met her gaze then glanced away. There was far too much knowledge in those eyes. "I think we'll have to wait for them to find us."

A beeping sound interrupted them, and Robin looked at his communicator. "Speak of the devil," Beast Boy muttered. Cyborg had straightened; the scanner on his arm was zooming over a blueprint of the city. It zoned in one a small square, blinking intermittently. "Where is it?"

"A jewellery store, three blocks that way," Robin answered, pointing southwards. "Only one." He flicked back his dark bangs and turned to his cycle, even as the others hesitated.

"Just one?" Beast Boy asked. When had they ever gone after a single small shop? He declined a place in Cyborg's gadget-heavy car with a shake of his head, instead taking to the air above Robin. Both Starfire and Raven joined him, supplanting his smaller form somewhat so that he had to drop back to where the T-mobile followed. He let out an irritated caw and dived down, transforming just above the cycle. He landed with a light thump behind Robin.

The masked boy jerked in surprise. Beast Boy wrapped his arms around his waist and leant forward, grateful the Boy Wonder hadn't brought a helmet. "Sorry." He pressed his mouth to Robin's ear, thrilling at the shudder that elicited. "My wings got tired." Robin couldn't very well rebuke him for that. He was the only flying titan that relied on physical rather than magical ability to fly, and that morning session had been an added drain.

"Don't make a habit of it."

Almost unwillingly, his hands had started kneading Robin's chest with cat-like pleasure and his chest rumbled with a throaty purr. The other boy drew in a swift breath but did nothing. Beast Boy grinned fiercely, hardly able to believe Robin was allowing him this much. _Mine,_ his instinct said, over and over again. _Mine, my own, mine._

"Anything you say," Beast Boy purred into his ear.

They were nearing the place. It stood in the non-descript street with smashed windows, light spilling out into the street. A dark figure leapt out of the destroyed building nimbly. Robin swerved to stop in time to see it tuck away a large, fractured gem. Beast Boy leapt into the air and hovered there, waiting for the initial monologue to come and go.

On ground level, the masked figure raised his head and Robin narrowed his eyes. Of course Red X would be found here. There was a diamond exhibition at this store, he'd read about it weeks ago. If he'd been concentrating, instead of fixating on this… _thing_ with Beast Boy, he would have recognised the threat and prepared for it.

At the sight of them, Red X straightened. The titans gathered behind him and Red X tilted his head.

"X." He swung off the cycle and stood in front of the thief. What had he been thinking this morning, about the city's other criminals? Beast Boy and Raven fell down opposite him to block the street and X fell into n offensive stance. Perhaps he'd spoken too soon.

"Figures _you_'d still be around to steal things," Beast Boy muttered, voicing his thoughts almost too closely for comfort.

"You must return what you stole immediately, or we shall turn you over to the police," Starfire stated with her nose in the air. Even after years on Earth she still retained her formal speech pattern and all of her moral values. Beast Boy snorted and Robin was inclined to agree with him. There was no way X would give up his freedom without a fight.

"Come now, surely you know me better than that, beautiful." He sounded devishly amused. "I'll dine out on this for months." He rocked onto the balls of his feet and Robin tensed. "But I guess I can stick around for a little fun." On the last word X leapt into the air, tossing out a handful of red shuriken.

They scattered, diving out of the way as the x-shaped marks exploded. Red sent another spinning towards Beast Boy. Raven erupted from the ground in a cloak of darkness and disappeared with him. The disc shattered harmlessly on the tarmac.

The luminous beam of Cyborg's Sonic Cannon erupted from his left and X dived to the side. Groaning as that left him directly in Starfire's path. Flipping back on his hand Red X dodged a bombardment of bright star bolts. Then as the alien girl approached, he sent out a red x-mark. It hit her in the chest and expanded outwards suddenly to form elastic ropes. They wrapped around a lamppost and contracted, holding her against it.

Red X twirled back and Robin spun his bo staff in a tight circle. More of X's arsenal ricocheted off it with sharp sounds.

Cyborg charged at the thief, fist drawn back for a powerful blow. Red X dodged at the last minute and caught the strike on his shoulder. Then he jumped back and threw out an x mark that slammed Cyborg back fifty feet and covered him in viscous red slime. "Hey-" He tried to scrape off the goo, but it stuck to his hand and oozed between his joints. "Dammit!"

Another handful of explosive shuriken sent the other two titans careering backwards and Robin followed X into a shaded alley. With his staff, he flipped up over X and landed in front of him, effectively cutting off his escape route. They paused for a moment, regarding each other.

Then, suddenly, both were moving. Robin dodged a side swipe and countered with _shomen uchi_, his hand cutting through the air neatly. X blocked and danced out of his reach. "Guess those beasts have really been running you ragged."

"What?" Robin deflected an explosive with one of his own. "Are you working with them?" He hadn't thought Red X was the type, too caught up in his own selfish whims, but he'd been wrong before.

"It's nothing to do with me, kid." Red X tilted that familiar mask. "But I'd bet this suit that Slade knows something about it."

"Slade? Slade's back!" Shock filtered through him. Slade, the greatest villain of his generation, the most powerful criminal in Jump City, his own personal nemesis, and so much more. They hadn't seen him since that affair with Trigun, but if he was back _now_…

"Of course. A mastermind like that won't stay hidden for long." There was a grudging respect in Red's voice that surprised him. Robin stood back, cast a quick glance at the street. The other titans were struggling, out of direct eye contact.

"What do you know?"

X shrugged beatifically, standing between him and the street. "Not much. They don't run in my circles."

Robin dodged an uppercut and leaped forward. "They're not thieves, then?"

"Oh, they're thieves, alright." He ducked under the swing of Robin's bo stick, crept closer. "But I don't think they're here for material wealth. Power, maybe. I, on the other hand…" He broke Robin's hold and the staff went spinning away. With a sharp elbow in his gut, Red X had him pinned up against the wall, hands pinned and useless. "… am here for _everything_." He pressed close, skeletal mask sliding against the skin of his cheek. Robin snarled. What, was he sending out a fucking signal, or something? "Hmmm…" X breathed in against his skin. Tensing, Robin kicked up and in with all of his strength.

X stumbled away, cursing. He stood in the entrance to the alley. "Frigid little-"

Abruptly a green blur smashed into the dark-clothed figure. The tiger clung to X with sharp claws and teeth, rolling until the thief dislodged him and kicked him back. Raven drifted in the air, concentrating, and the ground trembled and shattered under Red's feet. Robin followed them, spun out his birdarang and hissed as it went wide. Red X turned, the slits in his mask glowing darkly, and Robin had to jump back to avoid more red marks that shot from the thief's palm.

Starfire soared past him with glowing eyes, finally free from the ropes. Red whirled to face her as she pelted the ground with star bolts. Following swiftly in their wake came Beast Boy, charging forward as a hulking rhino. As his massive horn came nearer, X leapt up over him. He landed lightly on Beast Boy's back and jumped off again. The thief turned with another x-mark ready and Robin crashed into him with both feet first. Grunting, Red was slammed into the ground. Swiftly, he twisted to look back at the Boy Wonder.

"Well-played, Robin. How very noble of you." He climbed quickly to his feet as the other titans approached. "I have what I need." He leapt backwards into the air and sketched a hasty salute. "Catch you later, kid." Red's slender figure disappeared in mid-air.

Sighing, Robin straightened. It looked as though some villains had stuck around to ride out the carnage. But if Slade was back, planning something…

A purple-clothed figure floated down to his side. Starfire cast a glance at his face. "Do not worry, friend Robin." Her smile seemed to turn the air around her bright pink. "We shall succeed next time."

"Sure." He turned to see Beast Boy rubbing his arm. "The last three years were just practice." The green-haired boy sent an unreadable glance in his direction.

Flashing red lights made them wince and a squadron of police cars pulled up at either ends of the street. Robin sighed. "Let's get back to the Tower. The police can handle everything from here."

"Right." The titans dispersed quickly. Robin climbed onto his R-cycle, then noticed that Beast Boy was staring up at the sky and hadn't moved.

"Beast Boy." The shape shifter looked at him with raised brows. "Are you coming?" A little grin formed on his lips and Robin frowned. "Don't be infantile." Forget that the image of Beast Boy twisting in pleasure was burned into his retinas.

"Aye, aye, skipper." Beast Boy stretched for a moment, considering. Robin was very strict about his cycle, and yet he'd allowed him those few minutes. "Although, my arms are still a little tired…" he trailed off suggestively.

Robin pressed his lips together. Even those few seconds on the cycle earlier had sent his senses into overdrive. The feeling of Beast Boy's hands on his chest, his slim body draped over and around his own…

"Alright," he conceded, voice only just steady. What was this boy doing to him? The shape shifter climbed on behind him, his hands settling easily on his hips. Robin was a little amazed at how secure and… _safe _he felt between his thighs. "But if there's trouble…"

"I'll 'morph, don't worry." Robin started the engine and Beast Boy restrained himself from placing a kiss on Robin's long, beautiful neck. He settled for nuzzling into the tender skin there possessively. A calm smile formed on his lips and, for once, he couldn't feel the beast within him at all.

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I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. I apologise for the RedX/Robin, that caught me by surprise, but it's a favourite pairing of mine. I doubt Red'll return; I've got enough villains in this thing as it is. Review, and I'll see you soon.


	13. Chapter 13

Alright, I'm on a role.

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Above the city, the moon hung like a pearlescent tear drop. Its light cast silvery shadows where there should be none, turning the familiar streets into a maze of darkness and hidden snares.

On the bridge, leaning against one of the pillars nonchalantly, Slade waited. He'd been 'summoned' again. That little blond beauty had left a note inside his heavily encrypted system. It'd certainly gotten his attention. This time, however, he was on the playing field with more than hearsay; the past few weeks had not been squandered. A few of his robots, mechanical and therefore untraceable by these rogues, had tracked them through the city. The results were fairly enlightening, to say the least. Yet he still didn't know what they wanted.

The shadows were deep enough so that his computerized façade had become a spectral figure shrouded in darkness. Below him the river lapped idly at the docks. Slade caught the sound of wings on the air and he straightened, falling easily into a military pose.

Out of the gloom stepped a tall, dark-haired figure with eerily bright violet eyes. He bobbed his head in a quick greeting. "Slade."

The mercenary bowed his head in return. "Draconis." A flash of surprise went through those eyes.

"I'd heard you were good; it seems those accounts were not wholly exaggerated." Slade took the backhanded compliment in stride.

"Indeed, although I'm sure my record to date would say otherwise." He assessed the other man narrowly. He'd worked with others before, but only when he served to gain something intrinsically valuable. The only bait that had drawn him to Trigun's side was the promise of life, and even then he hadn't remained loyal.

Slade had no doubt that he could very easily defeat this dark man with his impure motives (a moment of amusement - who was _he_ to talk about purity?), but there was something about the glint in his eye that he recognised, that made him hesitate. He'd seen it so many times before, in villains that had come too close to the edge, and had lost their minds to the thrill of the hunt. Villains like these proved the hardest to control. Fortunately, insanity was highly motivational.

"What is it that you want?" He acknowledged the small voice that told him this one was far too like himself for comfort. That alone earned his respect. And he suspected the game being played with the Titans went deeper than any of them could guess. Although this Arran was pitifully weak in comparison to Slade's own brilliant, strategist mind, it wasn't often one met a villain worthy of his esteem.

"I have no quarrel with you, Night-stalker. I only want the boy."

"No," Slade answered immediately. "He is not for one such as you."

Arran tilted his head. "Why so defensive? What connection do you have to the Changeling?"

"Changeling?" Surprise trickled through his system, an emotion Slade was becoming more familiar with the more time he spent in this villain's company. "What could you possibly want with Beast Boy?" he asked in genuine curiosity. Admittedly, he himself had pondered the boy's powers once or twice - the boy's limits were wider than perhaps any other titan, although he was weighed down by physical endurance and layers of cheap emotion - but why look again when there was such quarry to be had among his team-mates?

"That is my concern. Just stay out of my way." Highly amused, Slade tilted his head in agreement.

"Very well, then. I will not oppose your claim." As the man disappeared back into the shadows, Slade brought himself out of the robotic connection and leaned back in consideration. His word was one thing in a world of pain that he did not break. He smiled. But there were so many loopholes he could find.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"Pass me the wrench." Beast Boy did as he was told, sighed again. "What now?"

"I can do something!" They were sitting in the base of the Tower, Robin half under his motorcycle and Beast Boy sitting next to him and a toolbox. "I could… help you with the engine, or tighten these… bolt…things , here…" he trailed off. Robin had ducked out from under the cycle and was looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "Alright, fine, I'll stay here. I just thought, since you keep saying it's _my_ fault…"

"It _is_ your fault."

"Come on, your bike's massive," Beast Boy huffed, leaning against the cool metal. "How exactly could _I_ have broken it?"

"The added weight coming around the last corner caused us to spin out too far," Robin stated, irritated. "Hence the reason for the crash, which ruptured the casing and one of the cylinders, pierced the radiator in the V4 _and_ hooked the swingarm so we lost the rear axle." He didn't mention the loss of concentration he suffered just before the turn, caused by the feeling of Beast Boy's claws raking over his chest and right nipple.

Beast Boy blinked at him. "I have no idea what you just said."

"Which is why you're not going to touch it. Take my word for it, Beast Boy: it was your fault."

Robin walked away from him to their so-called store cupboard, deliberating amongst the heaps of spare parts they'd accumulated over the years for the three vehicles. Beast Boy's eyes swept over Robin's body, dressed casually in a tank top and sweat pants. They lingered on the boy's cloth-covered posterior and he had to look away.

He hadn't said it, but Robin was probably right, as usual. Just before they'd come in, he'd gotten bolder, taking liberties that he was sure had caused Robin to shy away and lose their balance. He rolled around a nondescript screw in the palm of his hand. He shouldn't have done it, but it'd been so hard to resist, tucked snugly against his body like that. Shaking off his thoughts, he resolved to think of something else.

"Beast Boy, pass me that one there; it looks like a spanner." Robin was wiping his hands on his shirt, exposing a long stretch of pale skin. Beast Boy's brain did a nosedive straight back into the gutter.

"Uh, sure." He stood up with the tool and turned around, stepping back at the same time. "Here you… go," he finished weakly. He was staring directly into Robin's mask, close enough to see the shadow of his eyes, wide and surprised. And for one, aching moment, they stood pressed against each other, chest to chest, hips to hips. A second later, and they were standing at opposite ends of the bike.

"Thanks." Robin glanced over the cycle again and crouched beside the rear wheel. "Beast Boy, swing your leg over."

"Sorry?" His mind was still a little hazy from the contact, he couldn't have heard right.

Robin looked at him. "To try the ignition."

"Ah, right." He settled on the bike gingerly and twisted the key. It sputtered for a moment, then the engine roared to life. "Hey. Not bad." Grinned at Robin over his shoulder. The Boy Wonder smiled, sat back on his haunches. Beast Boy turned off the key and the engine died. He stayed there for a moment, tracing a pattern on the steel and chrome.

Robin came into his field of vision, leaned against the wall next to him. He raised his eyebrows in inquiry. Beast Boy bent forward against the handlebars. They remained silent for a few minutes, as he ordered his thoughts and Robin waited patiently. "It's getting harder. Everything. It's so hard to control."

"The beast?" Robin inquired gently.

The shape shifter shook his head slowly. "Not exactly. That beast is the form, the physical side more than anything else. I mean, when I transformed, I still knew you, and Raven, and what was right wrong… The beast I'm worried about is in me," he finished softly.

"I think we had this conversation." Robin crossed his bare arms, staring at him from under his wild dark hair. "As long as you can feel it, you can control it. And I trust you. We all do."

"You really shouldn't," he stated inaudibly.

"What?"

He hesitated. "What if… what if you made a mistake, a big one and you can't forget it, or you…

won't let yourself forget it." God, this was so hard. "What if someone got hurt, because of you? What would you do?"

"It happens. People in the wrong place at the wrong time. You can't save everyone." No matter that he didn't believe that himself. "You should never forget your mistakes, Beast Boy. You can learn from each one."

He laughed bitterly. "Right, I'll remember that."

"What is it?" Robin asked curiously, feeling concerned despite himself.

"Nothing, it's nothing." The other boy straightened, starting to protest, but Beast Boy climbed off the cycle and headed towards the rest of the Tower. "Good to know no-one's perfect. Even you."

"Even me?" Robin asked, surprised.

"_Definitely_ not you." The Boy Wonder followed him out of the garage, brow arched as he listened tolerantly. "I mean, you're anal-retentive, a _major_ perfectionist, a total slave driver, and I'm not sure anyone's told you, but you have a _seriously _weird-shaped head, dude."

"… What's wrong with my head?"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

All motorcycle information is from Wikipedia and may not be accurate, I warn you. Also, I hate the word nipple. Don't know why.

I've got a hell of a lotta work on at the moment, so updates may be sporadic after this. Forgive me?


	14. Chapter 14

XXX

The door slid closed behind Beast Boy with a quiet sound. He strode into his room, yawning a little as he walked past heaps of broken toys and dirty laundry. His room was a complete mess, as usual, and Beast Boy simply kicked aside a few objects in his path as he went to sit on the windowsill.

After an hour so with the whole team in the living room, he'd gotten tired ("In the middle of the day?" Raven had asked sceptically) and had retreated to the relative safety of his room. Now, watching the undulating waves, his mind pondered the latest turn his relationship had taken with Robin.

Was he seeing too much into it?

That night on Robin's motorcycle, he'd been all over him (_like white on rice, _his mind commented fanatically), and Robin hadn't flinched. And more, yesterday in the garage… He thought he'd smelt… desire, in the air.

_Can't be,_ he refuted stubbornly. _Preoccupied with the mission._

Disappointment he couldn't help but feel lapped at his heart. _God, this thing is going to kill me, yet,_ he thought with a wry, self-deprecating grin. His feelings for Robin had caught him by surprise, crept up behind him and snuck through his paper-thin defences. Nothing had prepared him for this.

With Raven, it had been an instant attraction, a kind of adoration in which he played the part of the lowly squire pining after the unattainable princess. They were perfectly ill-suited, opposites that weren't quite. Raven was pretty, and powerful, and enchantingly mysterious. But after a few years of constant rejection, that wasn't enough.

He'd had something with Terra. The beautiful, fun-loving girl had been made for him, he thought. But after her betrayal and the months, years, that were divided by one sighting that might not even have been her… Whatever he'd felt for her had died under the neglect.

And now…The glass felt frosty against his forehead as he slid forward against the window. He didn't know quite how it had happened. He'd had a good two or three years of nothing but cool friendship and deep respect. Admiration, of course, and he'd always thought of Robin as shatteringly beautiful (who didn't?). He'd always admired Robin, adored or worshipped him as he had Raven. But Robin had always been human to him, in a way the unapproachable Raven, high on her vaulted pedestal, had never been. He was flawed and imperfect, and strong and beautiful because of it. But how had all of that developed into the deep-rooted fear he felt whenever the other boy was in trouble, and the heated feeling that, at the mere sight of him, constricted his heart until he thought it would burst? _Aw, man, I sound like such a girl_.

At first, Robin had always seemed to think of him as a fool. In turn, he'd always considered the masked boy as a ruthless neurotic with a stick up his ass the size of Russia. It wasn't until a year or so after they'd come together that they'd gotten past that, when they'd exchanged names. _That sounds so stupid,_ he thought with a glinting smile. But it'd meant much more than a casual greeting. It was a trade of their identities, their one secret possession.

It had cemented their friendship. With a team as closely knit as the Titans, each one knew the others' weaknesses, their strengths and their little quirks and habits. But as superheroes, and with Robin especially, their identity was their most powerful secret, and having even one person that knew was a risk. His own identity was pretty much a null point (how could it be secret, with skin as green as his?). It had taken most of them only a few days to share what they could (he'd been convinced Raven was lying when she said she didn't have one. Kept trying to sneak the question on her to catch her out), eager to shed the barriers between the team. To them he'd just been Logan - he couldn't face the humiliation of publicly naming himself Garfield.

Robin had taken a little longer. His mask was so ingrained that even now Beast Boy suspected it had become an emotional prop. When he had decided to share, Beast Boy had been the last he told (and that still stung, he thought, curled on the windowsill and frowning). It'd been after Solo had tried to steal him, when his position in the Titans was as solid as it could be. After they'd come back, when the others had retired with sleepy yawns, he'd gone out onto the roof…

X

_Beast Boy wrapped his arms around himself, trembling. It'd been so close. Nothing else had yet come as near to separating them as this abduction. God, he was still shaking. He'd almost been taken off the _planet_, to live forever as a god-damned _pet_. He raised his hands to his neck, dancing lightly over the skin as he reassured himself that the collar was gone. _Never again,_ he swore silently. _Never.

"_Hey." He swung around to see the Boy Wonder hesitating in the doorway._

"_Ah, hey, Robin." He stared at the masked boy warily. They weren't particularly close: he had found a kindred spirit in Cyborg and Robin didn't seem to be truly comfortable around any of them _(_except perhaps Starfire_, Beast Boy thought on the windowsill)

"_Are you alright?"_

"_Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine. All in the line of duty, you know." He shrugged one shoulder, turned back to the ocean. Robin came to stand beside him._

"_The alarm system needs some… adjustments. We could… use your help with it, tomorrow, Beast Boy." Beast Boy smiled a little. It wasn't quite an apology, but it'd do._

"_Garfield. Garfield Logan." (and what kind of a name was that?_ Beast Boy thought to himself_) He cast Robin a swift glance from beneath his lashes. "No wisecracks, please. I hate lasagne." That earned a quick smile._

"_Dick Grayson." He grinned, opened his mouth- "Don't bother, I've heard them all."_

"_Spoil all my fun." A resounding crash came from within the Tower. Robin sighed and Beast Boy raised both hands, palms facing outwards. "Don't look at me, I was right here."_

_Another reluctant grin. "I'd better get back, before the rest of the Tower goes." He walked back to the door, paused, looked back. "… Are you coming?" Beast Boy grinned._

"_Right behind you."_

X

With an effort, Beast Boy dragged himself out of his memories as they faded. Another knock came from his door. He roused himself and slid off the windowsill.

"Come in." The door slid open and Cyborg's bulky figure stepped through. "Cy!" His face lit up in a genuine grin. "Hey, man, what's up?"

"Got bored in the living room. Robin's in a mood, and the girls suck at video games." The robotic man settled carefully on Beast Boy's thin bed.

Beast Boy sat cross-legged on the floor opposite. "Ain't that the truth." He stared at Cyborg curiously, though. Unusual as it was, his presence in Beast Boy's room invited suspicion. "What's going on?"

"Ah, yeah." Cyborg scratched the back of his head, sheepishly. "Well, thing is… We kinda noticed you've been a little weird, lately so I thought, you know, if you wanted to talk, or anything…" he trailed off hopefully.

"Oh." After his brief disclosure to Robin, the last thing he wanted to do now was impart more of his doubts and fears. He picked at the carpet roughly. But he owed it to Cyborg to at least give him something. "I don't know, it just feels like… everything's getting out of control. And it's so much harder to concentrate…"

"Ah, the beast?" Why was that everyone's first thought._ I'm more than a monster_. _Aren't I?_

"Well, yeah, I guess, and…"

"And you're half in love with the Boy Wonder and don't know what to do about it?" Beast Boy stared at him blankly.

"_What_?!"

"What, it's true isn't it?"

"Of _course _not, don't be stupid, I would never-" Cyborg had leant back on his hands, looking decidedly unconcerned and highly amused. _Well, fuck._ "How did you know?"

"Oh, come on, you're not that good of an actor. It was totally obvious to anyone who knew you." Almost as an afterthought he raised his finger and said, "Plus, Raven's empathic."

"Raven knows?! Who else knows? Starfire?! Oh god, Robin doesn't know, does he?" 'Cause if he did, then fuck the rest of it, he was going to crawl into a foetal position and cry himself to death.

"No, of course they don't know, we didn't tell anyone." Cyborg hesitated. "Well, Starfire might know."

Beast Boy dropped his head into his hands. "Oh god, I'm screwed."

"So it's true, then?"

He dropped his eyes. "Yeah." _And it's quite a bit more than half._

"How'd it happen?" He glanced up, but Cyborg seemed genuinely interested in what he had to say.

"I'm not sure, exactly. It was just… One night, when we came back, you guys all went to bed - I think it was one of Trigun's, but that bit's still fuzzy - and I couldn't sleep." The memories surfaced as he recalled them, and his lips twisted into a reminiscent smile. "I heard something in the kitchen, and I found Robin there. He was hurt, his back…"_ Standing in the moonlight, pale-skinned and trembling as he tried to tend his own injury._ "Seeing him like that, no masks, it just made me realise… you know." _Heart-achingly vulnerable as he looked up and saw Beast Boy. Rigid and stubborn as he finally accepted his help. And at the end, that soft, reluctant 'thank you'._ He sighed, threading his fingers through his hair.

"Hey, don't worry about it, man. Doesn't make a difference to us." Beast Boy peered at him from between his hands. The robotic boy was staring at him earnestly, anxiously.

"Yeah?"

"Sure." Glimmer of a grin. "I always thought you were a bit of fairy, anyway."

"Hey!" Beast Boy immediately pounced, claws bared.

"Ow, hey, watch it, I just got that fixed!"

Suddenly a blaring red light flashed through the room. Robin's voice boomed from the wall speakers. "Titans, another distress signal from the east side. Let's go!"

"Ah, great." Cyborg crawled to his feet with Beast Boy still hanging off his back. "No rest for the wicked."

"Yeah, yeah, alright." He peeled his claws from Cyborg's metal casing and jumped down. Shaking himself lightly, he grinned, feeling lighter than he had in a while. The feeling of acceptance always seemed strange to him. He smoothed down his suit and pounded after Cyborg.

XXX

Thanks so much to those few people who reviewed the last couple of chapters. It means a lot to me. As for the rest of you, where the hell have you gone? I come back after a few weeks with three more chapters and I get like five reviews?! I want to see you all do better this time, people, even if its just one line.

Also, the next chapter's written and ready, so the wait won't be long. See you next time. xxx


	15. Chapter 15

I apologise profusely for the time lapse between my last update and this one. I'm afraid Real Life intervened yet again (the bastard) and I had to wait for a window of opportunity. Fear not, I found one. Also, have no fear I am not giving up till I finish this sucker.

I'm so sorry I keep introducing new characters; they are essential to the plot, but I'll try to get the focus back on the Titans.

I love your reviews, if you can, keep doing it.

XXX

The Titans reached the source of the alarm within three minutes, sped on by thoughts of Slade, or Red X, or darkness. People ran past them as they got closer, a rippling circle that was centred around one point.

They turned a corner, and the cause of the mass exodus was revealed, standing casually in the middle of the street. As the Titans approached he grinned, teeth white against his tanned skin.

Robin immediately halted his bike, landed lightly on the ground before him. Starfire and Raven settled beside him and Cyborg on his other side, huge arms tense.

"And who are you, sunshine?" the robot asked with raised brows.

Beast Boy dropped down by the others, warily. The wolf had always been damned unpredictable. What the hell was he doing now?

"Ah. The Titans. It's about time." The stranger tossed back a few shaggy locks of hair, dark crimson in the street light. "I was just about to start killing people." Behind him a few shadowed figures were lying, crumpled and broken, but still moving.

"Bastard," Raven hissed out.

He looked at her with that manic grin. "Don't shoot the messenger."

"So what's the _message_?" Robin asked, voice dark. Close to him, Starfire was shaking her head, slightly, bright eyes glaring.

"This is unacceptable," she stated flatly. "You are a monster." Beast Boy flinched.

"Not too bright, are you?" Sharp canines curved over his lips as his smile widened. "If it took you this long to come to that conclusion."

"I wouldn't exactly call you a genius, either," Beast Boy finally spoke up, trembling a little.

The man lifted one shoulder in an elegant shrug. "My forte's always been more… hack and slash."

"Who are you?" Robin repeated, tone revealing his waning patience.

He raised one eyebrow. "Man, you're really not doing very well, are you? I would've thought after this long… I guess we gave you too much credit."

"Let's can the small talk and kick his ass." Cyborg rotated his shoulders, one human eye glaring.

"Wait," Robin told him softly. Then, louder, "What do you want?"

The man looked smug. "That's something you should take up with my boss. I'm just along for the ride, baby bird." He turned to look at Raven, hazel eyes raking over her scantily-clad body heatedly. "Well, hello there."

Raven snorted and rolled her eyes. Utterly unaffected, she ripped up a heavy garbage dumpster with her mind and threw it at him. The man darted back, missing the jagged metal edge by a hair's breadth. He threw back his fiery mane and glared at her. "Fine. If you want to be that way." He stepped back a little further, met Robin's gaze. "We're going to rip apart your world, little hero. Piece by piece." He lifted his hands, palms raised to the sky as if in supplication. "We're here to take back what's ours."

The man hunched over suddenly. His bones snapped and twisted as hair sprouted from his skin. Before their startled eyes, the rogue's body turned inside out and the familiar contours of the chimaera began to take form.

"A shape-shifter," Robin hissed, leaping back. He threw a quick glance at his team-mates, but already the Titans were reacting, momentarily forgetting whatever this did to their plans, focussing only on the enemy standing a few feet away. "Titans, go!"

A little further back from the others, Beast Boy watched with narrow eyes as the battle started. He knew the Titans would recognise the wolf's voice from the one they'd heard briefly in the warehouse. So then, this was his game. Classic misdirection. He snorted. Perfect. Swiftly he transferred his weight to the balls of his feet, ready to leap. Already he could anticipate the questions this was going to cause.

The chimaera took its stance quickly, fell into battle with a harsh swipe at the girls. It used its body to slam into Cyborg even as one of its heads reached out the other way. Robin dodged glistening white teeth and smacked its mouth away with his bo. Dark kinetic energy threw the beast off Cyborg and the robot immediately started pummelling into it. Starfire singed its lion head with a few star bolts before the thing managed to throw them off.

Beast Boy changed into a pterodactyl and swooped down. At the bottom of his dive, Cyborg seized hold of one of his talons. As they rose into the air, Cyborg's right hand split, morphed into the large Sonic Cannon. The blue beam cut through the air down towards the chimaera, leaving a trail of stinking ozone. It roared as a deep slash opened across its flank. The animal struggled to its feet, snarling.

Cyborg dropped to the ground and Starfire hurtled past him, star bolts erupting from her hands. An ear-piercing screech filled the air and abruptly the griffin was gliding above them, diving at those Titans who weren't flightless and staying clear of the tattered chaos below.

Beast Boy touched down and immediately morphed into a tyrannosaurus. He lunged at the chimaera but it dodged aside and his teeth scraped painfully against the tarmac. Snarling, he turned after it.

Across the street Robin leapt backwards as the griffin swooped towards him. He dived to the left and rolled, came back to face a massive talon. Robin threw his weight back and up, his body following in a sinuous curve. One hand landed awkwardly on the torn cement and he pushed with it, used his momentum to flip over again. He landed lightly on his feet and sank into a crouch. Soft crunch against stone behind him and he ducked forward.

Not fast enough.

His cloak flared out with the movement and the griffin caught it in his talons. Its muscular wings pumped rapidly and it rose above the street. Robin dangled below, twisting wildly as he reached for his belt. A smatter of star bolts whizzed past him and Robin winced as a drop of blood landed on his mask. Feathers drifted on the wind as the ripped wing struggled to beat in time. The griffin banked, turning back with a harsh scream. Starfire went flying at a bat from the creature's large, lion-like tail. Grasping at his cloak, Robin pulled himself around and flung a handful of his volatile disks at the griffin's tawny belly.

The explosion made his ears ring and he fell fast. Not even thinking, he twisted against his own weight and landed nimbly on a flat tiled roof. Slightly unsteady, he had to catch himself as he stood.

"Robin."

He froze, every muscles tensing uncomfortably as he recognised that voice. "Slade." The mercenary emerged from the shadows to his left. He still wore that same fractured mask. The one that haunted his nightmares. _Perfect._ "What do you want?" he asked, growing weary of the question.

"Absolutely nothing. This time." Robin snorted. He'd believe that when he saw it.

"Then what are you doing here? Are you working with those… shape shifters?"

"No." Slade crossed his arms over his chest. His one visible eye narrowed. "But I don't think it's me you should be asking." Robin turned to face him, face hard.

"What are you talking about?"

"They're not the kind of villains I deal with."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" he asked, exasperated. He could hear the other Titans still battling away below him. He needed to get back to them. The shadows played over Slade's armour like liquid darkness.

"They are woefully arrogant. To put it in a purely animalistic way, one I'm sure you should understand; they're encroaching on my territory."

"Then help us defeat them. You helped us once before." Robin was aware he was needling the mercenary, but he knew Slade had a point and he was desperate for him to come to it.

"To my own detriment." Slade leaned back and gazed at him steadily. "No. I gave my word I wouldn't interfere. Deal with them yourself."

"Interfere with _what_?" Slade walked along the edge of the roof until he was only a couple of feet away. "What are they doing here?"

For a moment Slade didn't answer, just stood looking down at the battle. "Be very careful, Robin. Nothing is quite what it seems."

"What?" Robin turned, frowning, the clouds casting shadows over his own face. "You know something." Slade looked at him. "You know their weakness."

"They're not wild animals, Robin. Find the other end of their leash and cut it short."

"How?"

The other man chuckled softly, tilted his head so only the darkest side of his mask was visible. "At the moment, you're far too weak, Robin. Your friends are your weakness."

"You're wrong." Robin glared at the man. How _dare _he? "They're my strength."

Slade's eye narrowed. "Exactly." Suddenly Slade looked up, past him. Robin turned around, following his gaze. The other side was empty save for a single black-feathered crow. As if sensing their gaze it beat its wings once and took off. Robin looked back at Slade, but the mercenary was staring down at the street again. "One's inner strength, their life force, I suppose, can be quite a powerful force. Or a great weakness." He glanced back up. "Your friends could be either. As it is, they're taking up far too much of your time."

XXX

Beast Boy groaned as he picked himself up. Concrete rubble left imprints in his skin as he tried to detach himself from the building. Growling lowly, he transformed into a falcon and soared upwards.

In the air Raven was meditating on her powers, concentrating fiercely as she pulled her kinetic power together to form a giant net. With a gesture she threw it over the low-flying griffin. Shrieking, it plummeted to the ground. On the other side Cyclops was grappling with the chimaera as Starfire used her alien strength to help hold it down. Raven scowled in concentration as the griffin struggled, beads of condensation beginning to appear on her forehead.

Beast Boy caught an updraft and flew up above the street. Then he caught sight of something that almost made him fall.

Robin was on the roof. With Slade.

Beast Boy could see them both on the rooftop as he dived past. Jealousy ripped through him, erupting in the harsh, high cry of an eagle. The very thought of the two at that distance, close enough to touch, set his blood burning. He knew there had been something between them; Robin's fascination with the mercenary had always bordered on obsession. And _that_ image burned into his eyes until he couldn't see for the rage.

Abruptly something small and feathered smashed into him at full speed. He let out a squawk that quickly turned into a very human cry. His concentration disrupted, he fell straight into Raven, destroying hers.

The griffin burst out of the weakened net. It wheeled towards the chimaera and slashed at Cyborg's back. As soon as he released the chimeara it bounded around a corner and disappeared. The griffin banked and flew directly upwards, vanishing into the clouds.

"Damn it, Beast Boy!" Raven shoved him off. "You can't fly straight, for once?!" The green-haired boy climbed to his feet sullenly.

Cyborg put his hands on his hips as he caught his breath. "Damn, we almost had it." Beast Boy looked away, still feeling remnants of anger and jealousy in the pit of his stomach. Starfire dropped down beside them.

"There is no sign of them anywhere; they just disappeared."

"If they're both shape-shifters they probably turned into something else to escape." Robin stood behind them, fiddling with his gloves.

"That solves the mystery of that voice. But then why didn't they attack us in any other forms?" Raven pulled her cloak around her and glanced at Beast Boy. "Any ideas?"

"It's not a clique, Raven. I've never met another shape shifter before that guy," Beast Boy replied truthfully.

"Then he must be controlling the other one. Or the other way around," Robin mused. "But what for?" Beast Boy rubbed at a vicious bruise on his arm and remained silent.

"Well, least we know how they've been getting around." Cyborg stretched languidly. "Now let's go back to the Tower, man, I'm hungry." The Titans broke up, headed back under their own steam.

As Robin climbed onto the R-cycle, his brow creased in thought. The fact that these things were probably both shape-shifters had instantly made everything clear. Why then, did he feel like there was still something missing?

XXX


	16. Chapter 16

I just looked at the stats for this and realised it's been up for TWO YEARS. TWO FRIGGIN YEARS. What the hell's the matter with me? I'm gonna have to speed things up if I ever want to see this done.

Oh yeah, and expect a big-ass LEAP forward in the plot. :D

xxx

With the huge LCD television on silent nothing occupied the room save for its flickering reflection. Beast Boy sat on the floor, his legs spread out and his head on the couch. In front of him John Cusack mouthed something frantically at the screen, soaking wet. Beast Boy watched him blankly with all the appearance of someone whose attention was directed inward. He sighed.

"Hey." Robin stood beside the couch, clad in his uniform and looking a little tired.

"Hey," Beast Boy replied softly, unwilling to disturb the quiet.

Robin nodded to the screen, where Cusack was trying to perfect the skill of speaking through his eyes. "Not your usual taste."

"It suited my mood," Beast Boy replied with a fatalistic shrug. He glanced at the other boy from beneath his eyelashes.

"Oh?" Robin settled on the couch beside him, right leg next to Beast Boy's left shoulder. "Anything I can help with?" A smile tugged at Beast Boy's lips as he registered the careful tone in Robin's voice. The masked boy was obviously trying to offer his help without stepping on his toes.

"No, thanks. But I'll let you know," he replied with a sideways glance. They shared a grin, their eyes clinging to each other's for a moment too long. Beast Boy looked away, hair prickling as a thick silence descended.

"So..." he tried in an attempt to break it, then kicked himself at how utterly moronic that sounded.

"Yeah." At least Robin sounded as uncomfortable as he was. Beast Boy searched his mind for something to say that was vaguely relevant and not loaded with innuendo. "So what-"

"How di-" They stopped mid-sentence. Face burning, Beast Boy made an awkward gesture. "Um, you go."

"Right." Robin cleared his throat and fiddled with his mask. "I was going to say, what do you think about these shape shifters? Assuming they're both the same."

"Oh." Beast Boy had been trying his best _not_ to think about those shape shifters. "It'll be harder to find them, if they can be anything, anytime," he suggested lamely. It was so hard, to know where to draw the line between helping his team and protecting his family.

"They must have a stronghold in the city. As soon as we find it, we'll find them."

Beast Boy didn't bother mentioning how futile that search would be. But then Robin bowed his head and added, "Or maybe we'll just wait for them to strike." Beast Boy grinned. _And take out someone on the team, this time,_ a little voice whispered to him, and his grin faded.

"Relax, Beast Boy," Robin said, watching him. "Everyone has a weakness, we just have to find it."

"Right." A flash from the screen drew their attention back to it. Around them the Tower was eerily silent; the other three titans had been drafted into going grocery shopping. Faced by the grim prospect of an empty fridge, they'd been eager to go. Given the reprieve of a few hours' solitude, Beast Boy had plonked down by the television and given in to his roving thoughts. He looked up at Robin, blank face glowing in the light from the screen. Despite his muddled brain, he wasn't much given to introspection and he was glad to see the masked boy without the others around for once. He felt like he had to savour these moments while he could.

"What?" Robin was looking at him with a half-amused smile and the shape shifter started.

"Uh... nothing, nothing." In an effort to hide his face he buried his head against Robin's knee. "Sorry, I'll turn the sound up." He reached for the remote, feeling the silence turn oppressive.

"Sure," Robin replied. "Not too loud, though." As they settled back with the sound of rain a soft backdrop, Beast Boy leant his head against Robin's knee again. He watched the screen go dark as one of the actresses strayed too far from the rest. Wearily he let his eyes drift closed. It was too much to deal with, Arran and Robin and Arran again, far too much for one teenage boy to go through alone.

Abruptly he froze as he became aware of the sensation of fingers in his hair. They drifted through his wild green locks, tugging very softly on the longer strands. With a tiny sound of pleasure Beast Boy relaxed, boneless, against Robin's spandex-clad leg.

Robin carded his fingers through his hair softly and Beast Boy tried to restrain a purr. It felt so good, and he didn't think he even new he was doing it.

Beast Boy closed his eyes and breathed in Robin's scent. He'd give up the world for moments like these, when time slowed to a halt and all that existed was the sound of their hearts beating in tandem.

A rogue finger brushed up against one of his tapered ears and Beast Boy shuddered at the jolt that went through him. The fingers stopped and Beast Boy growled a little. He pressed his fangs into the soft flesh of Robin's thigh, showing his evident disapproval. A sharp gasp had Beast Boy jerking back with wide eyes.

"Sorry, sorry, god I'm sorry - I didn't mean - I-"

"Beast Boy." Robin slid down beside him. "It's alright." The masked boy looked away and something about his pose made Beast Boy ache. "I forgot you're so much animal, it makes sense you would... It's my fault." What? Did he mean... _Could_ he mean...

"No... it's..." Beast Boy leant towards him, unwilling to take that final, forbidden step. "Robin..." The dark-haired boy turned to look at him, and his eyes widened at how close they were. A breath Beast Boy felt on his own mouth. His mind was babbling nonsense at a mile a minute but all he could do was stare into that mask that was so close.

Robin swallowed and Beast Boy's eyes were drawn to the masked boy's throat as it moved. The air felt thick enough to slice his claws through as Robin's pale lips parted on his name.

"Gar…"

A little growl of possession was working its way up his throat and Beast Boy swallowed it down. "Um," he breathed, inches away from Robin's mouth and getting closer by the second. This was a bad idea. This was a very, _very_, bad idea.

Robin's lips turned up in a weak smirk. "Promise you won't bite?"

_Oh god._ Beast Boy mustered what was left of his liquid brain. "I guarantee nothing." Then he was leaning forward that last inch and his lips were brushing over Robin's.

It wasn't fireworks, or magic, or any of that romantic crap, but every touch of those warm, quivering lips against his own sent shivers down his spine. Beast Boy ignored his own experiences with kissing and kept it soft, moving his lips gently over Robin's. He swiped at Robin's lower lip with his tongue and the other boy's mouth opened on a sigh. Then his tongue was tangling with Beast Boy's and _oh yes, there are the fireworks_, Beast Boy thought weakly.

He gripped Robin's shirt to pull him closer even as he distantly felt fingers clutching at his own uniform. With a heartfelt groan Beast Boy rubbed his tongue against Robin's, both of them shivering and panting on the floor of the living room. Robin pulled back and kissed his way to Beast Boy's ear. The shifter frowned then abruptly gasped as the other boy latched onto the tip of his ear. "Fuck, _Robin_," he gasped.

At that a sudden chime echoed through the room and both boys jerked away from each other. They sat there breathless and Beast Boy raised one hand to wipe at his mouth. "The others are back," he finally managed.

"Yeah." Robin stared at him for a moment then shook his head as if coming out of a daze. "Right." He stood up and brushed himself off with hands that weren't quite steady. "I'd better go make sure they didn't buy just ice cream again." He walked towards the door and then paused, glanced back. "I'll... see you later?" he asked uncertainly. Beast Boy felt a huge grin split his face.

"Sure." An answering smile and Beast Boy was left with the sight of black spandex shifting over the tight muscles of Robin's ass and was suddenly beaten over the head with the urge to sink his teeth into it. "Holy shit," he breathed, looking away. Then he grinned again, feeling warmth curl around his heart. He'd kissed Robin.

For the moment he dwelled in the memory of the masked boy, in the phantom touch of that body against his. Beast Boy shuddered and grinned again. He'd kissed Robin, and, more importantly, Robin had kissed him back.

xxx

And please review, I know I don't deserve it but dammit, I like 'em! Plus they give me inspiration (shameless bribe).


	17. Chapter 17

So, yeah. I apologise for the two month gap; my schedule's clearing though, so I'm going to get this up soon.

Now, this chapter originally contains a lemon/lime or smexing. But it's way too hardcore for (it's got rubbing and groping and FLUIDS and stuff) so I've posted it to my Livejournal account.

It is no longer friends-locked, as my journal is highly rated anyway. You can reach it at the homepage link on my author profile here, or at dar_ota. live journal. com - just remove the spaces.

Enjoy!

x

Robin sighed and combed his fingers through his hair. The Tower's corridors were dark, empty. He'd worked late again, too focussed on the city to realise when the other Titans had gone to bed. It was so late, and he was so tired, but he couldn't stop thinking. About Slade, about this human chimaera, but most of all, about Beast Boy. A smile tugged at his lips as he remembered their kiss. He hadn't in a million years expected that reaction. But now...

It wasn't quite like the adolescent euphoria he'd experienced with Starfire, Robin mused. He just felt... so _happy_. He grinned. Beast Boy had _kissed_ him.

Abruptly Robin's hand was grasped and someone tugged him into an abandoned corridor. Without thinking he immediately flipped their positions so that he had his attacker up against the wall. At the sight of him, though, he stepped back with wide eyes. "Beast Boy, wha - mmph." The shape shifter had dragged him forwards with a wide, teasing grin and smothered his exclamation with his mouth. Robin made a muffled noise but quickly melted into the heat of Beast Boy's lips.

He let the kiss continue until he felt his lungs demand release. Gasping, Robin broke away and managed a breathless, "What -?"

"Sorry," Beast Boy muttered, rubbing up against him like a cat. "I couldn't wait any more." With that the shape shifter pressed him up against the wall, mere metres away from the main corridor. "Beast -" Robin said and was cut off again. Beast Boy nipped at his mouth and he gave in with a little moan. Screw it, so what if the rest of the team found them? He'd kick their collective ass if they turned their back on Beast Boy.

Robin felt the coldness of the wall behind him seep into his back even as the warmth of Beast Boy's tongue pushed past his lips. Unwilling to be a passive partner, Robin gripped the boy's uniform and tugged him closer, so close that he could feel Beast Boy's heartbeat in his own chest. The shape shifter let out a happy moan and swept his tongue over Robin's.

"Nn..." The masked boy tangled his fingers in Beast Boy's hair and kissed him back with fervour. Every movement that dextrous tongue made against his own sent tiny jolts of pleasure zinging down his spine. Beast Boy kissed the corner of Robin's mouth, his jaw line, licked a path down his neck. The shape shifter settled on the dip before Robin's collarbone and sucked hard. "Hah - Gar..." Robin exhaled on a shaky breath. He slipped his hand under the Beast Boy's shirt and slid his hand up the other boy's chest. With a pleased hum, Beast Boy nipped at his neck. In retaliation Robin growled and pinched a dark green nipple.

Beast Boy's hips thrust forward and the resulting shock of pleasure sent Robin's head thudding into the wall. "Ow," he muttered, wincing. Beast Boy raised his head, looking rueful. His lips were swollen and glistened in the light.

"Sorry," Beast Boy whispered.

"It's alright." The ache was already fading, reminding him forcefully of the arousal that hadn't dulled in the least. One hand pushed his hair out of his eyes, the other was still under Beast Boy's shirt against his skin. The corridor was silent save for their panting breaths. Robin licked his lips and Beast Boy's eyes darted to his mouth. "My room," he murmured, feeling that gaze sear through him.

Beast Boy backed off a little, uncertainty plain on his face. "Are - are you sure? I don't think..." Robin tugged him forward and planted a fierce kiss on the boy's lips.

"My room," he repeated a little more firmly.

"Okay," Beast Boy replied dazedly. Smirking, Robin pushed him off and darted away. A muttered oath behind him and the shape shifter was giving chase.

As Robin weaved through the shadows towards his room, he heard the panting breaths of the boy behind him and felt a frission of excitement go through him. He nearly fell through his door, turning just in time as Beast Boy slammed into him and they both fell to the bed.

xxx

As his vision cleared Robin let his hand fall. Beside him Beast Boy was slowly catching his breath. Afterglow flooded threw him, and he relaxed bonelessly against the other boy. Despite the sticky aftermath coating their stomachs and chests he couldn't bring himself to move. Oddly, he was comfortable in the mess.

"Richard?" he uttered softly, smirking.

"Eh. I wasn't gonna scream 'God, Dick, more'," Beast Boy replied with a smile. Robin laughed.

"It might have ruined the moment a little," he agreed.

"Hmm." Beast Boy rubbed his head against him, catlike. He threaded a leg between Robin's thighs and curled up languidly. "Dude, we totally need a shower." Robin closed his eyes and breathed a laugh.

"Later," he muttered. Suddenly he was very sleepy. Beast Boy hummed an agreement, seemingly as content to stay where they'd fallen.

"Th'alarm will wake us," he murmured, almost to himself. Robin wrapped an arm around him.

"Yeah," he agreed, nearly inaudible as sleep beckoned. "Later."

Xx


	18. Chapter 18

x

Something was tickling his nose. Beast Boy stirred irritably but the sensation didn't go away. He opened his eyes to find his face buried in strands of fine black hair. The events of the last day flooded back to him and he couldn't stop a smug, satisfied grin from taking over his face. Robin lay tangled in his arms, turned away from him towards the door. Beast Boy leant on his elbow and watched him breathe, in and out. Tanned skin and thin lips, clothed chest rising with each breath. Emotion rose in his chest and Beast Boy felt his grin fade. He carded his fingers through that dark hair, luxurious against his sensitive pads. They'd spent years together, true, but it still amazed him that he could feel so much for a single boy.

A ray of light fell on the planes of Robin's face, soft now in sleep. Looking towards its source, Beat Boy saw that the sun had already begun climbing into a rosy sky. Through the open window came a gentle breeze carrying the scent of the ocean and the more distant smell of fresh pine. Beast Boy breathed it in deeply and was immediately caught by the urge to be in it, flying over the sparkling ocean. The weight in his arms grounded him and he glanced at Robin in hesitation. _I'll be back before he wakes_, he reasoned. And it'd been so long since he'd flown at dawn.

Carefully, Beast Boy disentangled himself from the masked boy's embrace. "I'm just going for a quick flight," he murmured soothingly as Robin stiffened.

"Mm..." He stirred a little and Beast Boy felt his gaze. "I could go with you?"

"I'll only be a minute." The Boy Wonder lay on the sheets, hair tousled and lips swollen. Beast Boy's eyes flickered over him and he felt his heart constrict. "And I wanna come back to you like this." Robin whacked him lightly on the arm.

"Sap," he mumbled.

"Only for you," Beast Boy replied, grinning. Robin grumbled something unintelligible and rolled over. Laughing under his breath, Beast Boy leapt onto the windowsill and with another step, jumped through it. As easy as breathing he let himself morph, becoming a wide-winged kestrel that beat its wings and flew out over the sea.

_Ah, perfect_. Beast Boy let himself fall until he could feel the spray of the ocean. He spread his wings and caught an updraft, soaring over the ocean. Dipping lightly he skimmed its surface before turning towards the coast.

As the wind whistled through his feathers Beast Boy screamed the bird's caustic cry. In this form he didn't have to think, to fight; he could give himself over to the instincts of the bird of prey and the scent and feel of the wind under his wings. Robin, Arran, his team, none of them existed against the sparkling blue below him.

For a few long moments he amused himself by performing swooping dives over the surf. The dizzying spirals took all his concentration, and it wasn't until he levelled off over the docks that he spotted a lone dark-haired figure among the warehouses. He banked quickly and hovered there as his keen eyesight picked out the man's dark clothing and upturned face. The figure didn't move, just stood there staring straight up. Straight at him.

Arran.

His stomach dropped out of his insides. In a second he was plummeting towards the ground and only a quick thought had him with touching down with human feet.

Slowly he stood, keeping his eyes on Arran. His pulse was beating double time and he was acutely aware of every crashing wave, every breath of air against his skin. The anger he usually felt against Arran was dull, though, a distant emotion that seemed an automatic response more than anything else. This time he just felt tired. Tired of dealing with Arran and his lackeys, tired of having to keep them away from the team. Tired of always fighting himself.

"Kitten," Arran said in greeting, as if he hadn't been standing there for God-knows-how-long waiting for him. "Beautiful morning, isn't it?" he asked amiably. Beast Boy stared at him warily and didn't reply. The dark-haired man walked toward him. "You haven't come to see me in almost a week, Changeling, I was gettin-" Abruptly he stopped, his nostrils flaring wildly. "So _that's_ why."

"What are you talking about?" Beast Boy asked despite himself, half afraid of the answer.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice?" Arran responded incredulously. "You _stink_ of him, you little slut," he said, his eyes blazing. Green eyes narrowed at that and Beast Boy turned away. A tight grip on his arm made him stumble back and he was pressed against Arran's chest.

"Get off of me!"

"So this is what you've been doing. Or _who_ you've been doing." Arran pushed him away and was suddenly chillingly calm. "So was it worth it? Did he finally let you in?" Beast Boy remained stubbornly silent and Arran regarded him with a glimmer of a grin. "Did he even take his mask off when he fucked you?"

Beast Boy jerked his arm free and stepped back. "That is none of your _fucking_ business," he said heatedly. Arran raised his eyebrows and he knew he'd been baited again. "Stop it. I know what you're trying to do."

"Then you should know by now that you don't have a choice in this. I'm not leaving. How many times do I have to say it before you'll admit the truth? You're one of us, it's in your soul." He bent his head to whisper that sibilant hiss in Beast Boy's ear. "You'll _always_ be one of us."

Beast Boy closed his eyes, and as soon as he did so he could feel the terrible thirst of the beast within him.

"Yes," he said softly, finally, knowing he was crossing an irrevocable line. "I know."

"I'll always be here. You will never be free of me, Changeling," and Beast Boy knew in that instant that it was true. The events of the last few weeks played over in his head. How much longer could he keep Arran on a leash like this, feeding him tiny morsels and hoping to God he wouldn't break free? He opened his eyes. _I can't run for the rest of my life. It has to stop somewhere._ Before something happened that he couldn't undo. "Come with me."

"What?"

"Come home with me," Arran repeated in soft, persuasive tones, and brushed long fingers against the curve of his throat. Beast Boy thought of the tower, his home, and images of his team-mates flashed through his mind, relaxed and laughing. Under Arran's glassy gaze they became desperate and bloody. And Robin - God, Robin... _I have to get back_, he thought numbly. "Don't you want to save them?" Arran continued. "To let him live?" he said slowly. Beast Boy flinched. Knowing what he did about the man, it took little effort to imagine the kinds of things Arran would do to his team. To Robin. Arran purred the next words; "Or do you want to feel his artery burst in your mouth and his blood flow hot and sweet down your throat?" That sent a familiar frisson down his spine and Beast Boy jerked away. "You see?" Arran's violet eyes held a triumphant gleam that bordered closely on insanity. He echoed the words that had been running through his own mind for days. "You can't run forever, Changeling."

Beast Boy looked up at him, and when he met those dark eyes he felt the door of Arran's cage closing behind him. Finally, he spoke the word that seemed to seal his fate. "Yes."

x

Back in the tower, Beast Boy stood looking at him, the soft rise and fall of his chest, and thought about the broken bodies Arran had left in his wake.

"You alright?" Robin was awake, probably had been since he'd climbed back through the window.

"Fine." The masked boy sat up, regarding the shape shifter through narrowed eyes. Something was bothering him, Robin thought.

"Sure? You seem a little... distracted."

"I'm _fine_, Robin!" Beast Boy's eyes flashed green fire and Robin frowned, irritated. He was tired of having to tread on eggshells around the Titan. He shouldn't have to.

"You're obviously not," he replied a little caustically. Beast Boy didn't reply and for a moment there was silence. Then Robin said carefully; "About this… thing. Your beast. Raven could go inside your mind to try a-"

"No."

Robin stopped short. "But -"

"No fucking way am I letting _anyone_ inside my mind. _Especially _her." Beast Boy stalked across his leader's bedroom. "I can deal with it myself."

"So deal with it," Robin answered harshly. "Stop taking it out on us; we don't deserve it."

"Whatever." Beast Boy tugged on his violet top with sharp, agitated movements. "Just stay out of it."

"What the hell do you expect me to do, then?" Robin interjected sharply. "Just sit on my hands and watch you turn into someone else?"

"Oh this is me," Beast Boy muttered to his reflection in the cold steel, for the first time believing in his words. It was time to let go. "It's just not a very nice me."

"Beast Boy..." Robin reached out beseechingly and the shape shifter paused, staring at his hand. "You're my team-mate. We can fix this." Green eyes narrowed viciously.

"I'm not fucking _broken_, Robin." He whirled back to the door. "This was a mistake," he muttered. Robin couldn't stop himself from flinching.

"What... what do you mean?" he asked, surprised his voice was steady. The shape shifter didn't reply. "I just want to help, Gar. Please let me." Beast Boy didn't look back. Couldn't.

"I have to go."

Robin sat back, lips pressed together tightly. "When will you be back?" he asked after a moment.

"I don't know." The shape shifter risked a glance back only to see that impenetrable mask in place, more solid than any piece of fabric. "I just need to think a little." God, he had to get out.

Robin could feel the barriers in his mind go up, but he didn't bother trying to stop them. "Fine." He stood up and stretched, injecting his next words with the perfect amount of cold apathy. "Report at fifteen hundred hours for training." With his back to the Titan Robin didn't see his wince.

"Alright." He left the room without a second glance and only when he was in the relative safety of his own room did he let himself feel everything. Agony ripped at him persistently and he collapsed, tears pricking at his self-control.

_It's the only way._ He repeated that to himself over and over again, but it didn't lessen the pain in his chest.

x


	19. Chapter 19

x

Light from the setting sun burnt the clouds and fell in glittering rays through the Tower's windows. It warmed Beast Boy's skin as he stood in the circular lounge. The ocean sparkled as it had at dawn and Beast Boy turned away pensively. The tower had been quiet all day, as if it were reeling from his words this morning. He hadn't seen Robin yet today. He didn't want to, after what he'd said and done this morning. The memory… the memory would have to be enough.

A slight sound made him look up. Raven was making her way towards the far side of the room, weaving through the furniture with a hardback book tucked under her arm. Beast Boy hesitated. He'd been toying with the idea all day, but if he left, he wanted at least one person to know he hadn't deserted them. The telekinetic was perhaps the only one of his team-mates who would understand.

Sighing, he stepped forward lightly. "Raven." The girl froze and glanced over with arched brows. Beast Boy rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Could we... talk?"

"Talk. With you."

He rolled her eyes. "Uh, yeah. S'it that hard to imagine?" She raised an eyebrow. "Aright," he conceded with a faint smile. "But this important." Something about his expression must have convinced her that he was serious for she gave a small nod and went to sit beside him on the sofa.

"It'd better not be another knock-knock joke marathon," she grumbled. Beast Boy managed a weak chuckle and she frowned at him. "Alright, what is it? You've been acting weird for the past month almost."

Beast Boy sat for a minute in silence, unsure where to start. "I…" God, this was so much harder than he thought it would be. He'd just have to say it all, and hope the world didn't come crashing down around him. "I wanted to tell someone… I want someone to know… in case… something happens." Twisting his fingers together he stared down at his hands. "I'm leaving."

"What?" Dark eyes widened and Beast Boy felt a flash of smug satisfaction that he'd managed to shock her. "Why?"

"I…" How did you tell your team-mate and friend that a murderous lover had re-entered your life and was slowly destroying your sanity? You didn't, of course. "The… shape-shifters," he said slowly, hesitating over the word and thinking haltingly of Arran's eyes. "I know them."

"... Gar..." Beast Boy glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She didn't look surprised.

"You knew, didn't you?" he asked, defeated. Raven sighed.

"I… suspected," she admitted slowly. "Whenever we run into them your emotions go haywire. What happened?"

"They saved me. Before the Titans, before the Doom Patrol - they're …my family, I guess. They taught me to control my powers, to defend myself." He gave her a cynical smile. "D'you think the Doom Patrol would've given me a look in if I wasn't useful? They taught me everything."

"Then why did you leave them?" came the shrewd response. He glanced away.

"I had to. They were murderers." With a shaky breath he thought of countless nights lying sated in the cold air with blood on his coat. But that didn't matter anymore. None of it did. "I'm leaving with them." At that she drew away sharply.

"What?! But, they're murderers - you just _said_-" She shook her head in bewilderment. "Beast Boy do you have any idea what they've _done_? Almost a dozen people have been killed and hundreds more injured -" He held up a hand and she stopped. "Why?" Raven asked with narrow eyes. "What could possibly be worth deserting the Titans for, Beast Boy?"

"You," he replied shortly and she stared. "All of you."

"But we can _stop_ them!" She said and shook him hard, as if trying to shake off his resolve.

"You haven't met him. The others, they're like kittens compared to him. "He only wants me. He'll destroy everyone if I fight. He's insane, Raven," and he turned to her with eyes he knew looked dead. "He won't stop till he has me back." Raven sat back, already withdrawing behind her own mask.

"… Why are you telling me this, Beast Boy?"

Ah, now this would be the hardest. "I need you to swear you won't tell the others. And… I need you to stop them following me." Even as he finished speaking Raven was shaking her head.

"No way, Beast Boy. We have to stop them."

"No, Raven. You will die." Or worse.

"But-"

"I know what I'm doing," he interrupted. "If there was another way, another weakness-" he cut himself off. "If there was any other way, I would take it." He let his head fall against the sofa. "But there isn't," he whispered.

"So what, you're just going to sacrifice yourself while the rest of us stand by and watch?!" Beast Boy flinched. The echoes of Robin's voice were still with him, it seemed.

"No. I'll go back - I'll go home," he said finally. Surprise and disbelief were still etched in her eyes, but they were faint. "Raven, when have I ever asked you to trust me?" he asked plainly. "I've seen what he's capable of, and I don't want anyone else to get hurt." Beast Boy hunched forward and clenched his hands together. "He needs me," he muttered. "I can take him away; away from here, away from people, and maybe then…" he trailed off, knowing already it was hopeless.

"You're really going, aren't you?"

"I don't want to," he muttered. "God, this was my _home_. But…"

"But some things are more important," Raven finished. He smiled crookedly.

"Right." The empath tucked a strand of hair behind her ears and touched his arm. For once her barriers were down and he could see honest sympathy in her eyes.

"I'm not sure it's a good idea, Beast Boy, but…" She placed a hand on his shoulder and gazed at him with none of her usual asperity. "I respect what you're trying to do. It's doubtful I can hold them off if Robin takes it into his head to come after you, but I won't tell them about this. I swear." She sighed "But they're not going to believe it easily; you'll have to show them. Make them believe you want to go."

"Yeah, I know. I'll... think of something." Beast Boy looked at her, thought _I'll never see her again_, and a heavy emotion welled up inside him. A wry grin tugged at his lips. "You know, we would've made an awesome couple," he told her. In retaliation she swiped at him but had to hide a smile.

"Yeah, I know." Beast Boy laughed and gave her a one-armed hug. Growling obstinately she tensed but allowed it.

"This doesn't mean I like you, animal boy."

"Yeah, yeah. You love it." Beast Boy dropped a kiss on her hair. "Thanks, Ray," he said softly.

"You've been a good friend."

Her eyes softened and she blinked rapidly. "You too, Beast Boy."

By the doorway a masked shadow stood, his hand white-knuckled and clenched into a fist. With a muttered oath he turned away from the living room and the two figures curled up on the sofa.

x

Reviews are most welcome.


	20. Chapter 20

-1I apologise profusely for the extreme delay. Excuses run to new house and new job, but in truth I'm losing interest. Not to worry, I'll finish it, I promise, it was just a bit hard after a long break.

Reviews are appreciated, always.

x

Now that he'd made the decision to go, it was as if the town had fallen silent in an effort to make him stay. The city had been eerily quiet, and he'd heard nothing from Arran for almost three days now.

Beast Boy turned his communicator over in his hands, tracing the pattern lightly. The Tower itself was just as bad. Robin was irritable and short with everyone, Raven spoke to no one and Cyborg had hidden himself in the garage, obviously sensing the atmosphere. Beast Boy felt he was treading on eggshells. The only who didn't seem affected was Starfire, but her cooking had become far more extreme lately, so Beast Boy suspected that she knew something was up.

Robin... Every time he spoke to Robin, the masked boy looked straight through him. Beast Boy knew it was his own fault, but it still hurt.

Things had changed.

The Titan Tower alarm shrilled to life and Beast Boy's fingers clenched around the plastic. _Now or never_, went his mind and with an instant shift he bounded through the corridors.

He stopped at the door to the garage, quite certain that this was the last time he'd ever see it. Nothing important was in his room, he could just up and go - even after so many years here he hadn't really gathered anything truly meaningful.

Starfire reached him first, her eyes warmer than Beast Boy remembered. Or perhaps he'd simply never looked before.

"Ready for this, Star?" Beast Boy asked, grinning. Something about the alien's eternal good mood was infectious, and despite his inner trauma he couldn't help but laugh with her.

"Always," she replied with sparkling eyes and a classic smile. "Are you?"

"I think so." He wasn't lying. Bouncing past him she took to the air.

Then Cyborg came thundering past. Cyborg, _litter-mate_ - Beast Boy had to suppress a wave of grief. The android paused and raised an eyebrow at him, apparently sensing his distress.

"Oy, you alright?" Speechless, Beast Boy nodded. There was a curious lump in his throat.

"Mm, meet you there." Another questioning look and Cyborg was moving off towards his car. If there was one friendship he wished he didn't have to sacrifice, it was the easy camaraderie he'd had with the android. As his team-mate disappeared from view he had to look away.

Raven stood there, her eyes holding an inexplicable sadness. Beast Boy managed a half-hearted grin. The telekinetic pressed her lips together and looked away. "Hey." Beast Boy reached out to touch her shoulder hesitantly. "It's gonna be okay," he said, the words ringing hollow even to his ears.

She glanced at him angrily. Surprised, Beast Boy saw water beading on her eyelashes. Touched, he pulled her into a one-armed hug. "Idiot," came a muffled voice from the direction of his shoulder.

Beast Boy laughed. "Sorry," he said, feeling oddly buoyant.

"No you're not," Raven replied, grumpily pulling free of the embrace. "But we'll cope. You're hardly the _air we breathe_," and she rolled her eyes sarcastically. He grinned and shoved her out the door.

"Yeah, whatever, you know you're my baby." She snorted at him before her powers engulfed her and she rose into the air after Starfire.

Beast Boy sighed, running his hand through his hair. A scent made him turn to see Robin. The masked boy walked past him without a second glance.

Beast Boy winced. "Robin..." Raven's voice echoed in his mind and he hesitated. The masked boy had paused and stood tense, waiting. "Look out for Raven tonight, okay? She's feeling a bit... y'know," he said, emphasising his statement with a vague wave of his hand.

Robin stiffened so fast Beast Boy thought he might snap in two. "You can't afford _distractions_, Beast Boy," he said coldly, expressionlessly.

"_Distractions_?" Beast Boy echoed, bewildered. "What are you...?" Then he got it. Raven. He hesitated, hating the thought that Robin might think he liked the telekinetic, but unwilling to tell him the truth.

_You can't protect him forever,_ came a voice that sounded like Arran. _You can't protect him from yourself._

"She doesn't feel anything," he said finally, leaving the rest carefully ambiguous. Maybe it was better this way; another factor to make him leave. Robin glanced at him but said nothing. There were no clues as to what was going on behind that mask, and Beast Boy felt shut out - something he hadn't felt for months.

After a moment Robin nodded once and turned away. Beast Boy watched the clean lines of his uniform as he walked away.

He was only seventeen.

Beast Boy looked up to the sky and let the change flood through his mind.

It wasn't supposed to hurt this much.

x

Hours later, twilight had fallen and the stars shone prettily from between the trees. Beast Boy barely noticed; the moon was full and the air thick with tension.

Lupín stood in front of him.

The wolf grinned that sleazy, infuriating grin. "Finally dumped your pretty fuck toy, have you runt?"

"Shut up, bitch, you don't know what you're talking about," Beast Boy spat with real hate.

An arched eyebrow. "Caught you getting fucked on the side, did he?" Lupín scratched his jaw, his eyes glittering in the low light. "Better watch he doesn't fuck you over."

"You don't have to worry; I don't plan on sticking around."

"I never figured you for a coward, Changeling." He turned as the new speaker materialised from the shadows, trying to keep an eye on both of them.

"Aquila." The pale figure inclined his head.

"Beast Boy. Isn't it past your bed time?" The shape shifter glowered at him. Though he had quickly returned to his position as Arran's most favoured, it was from this boy, Arran's original second-in-command, that he could expect the most resistance to his plan. But he didn't intend to make nice.

"Fuck you. Where's Arran?"

"Busy."

"But it's the full moon." The pale figure merely raised an eyebrow. "Your powers are _always_ itchy at the full moon. You _know_ that." Three days of heightened senses, heightened powers, heightened everything. On those three days they were wild and uncontrollable. Here, near the city, they'd spent most of the time hunting anything that moved, driven by the thirst. Called to them every night, Beast Boy had spent most of it on his knees.

"Not everyone has issues with their control."

"I do _not_ have issues with my _fucking_ control!" Beast Boy snarled as he realised what he'd said. A glinting smile on Aquila's face echoed the point he'd proven.

"Oh, really?" Blue eyes laughed at him. "Then you go beyond tigers and birds, these days?"

From the edge of the playground came a snicker. Beast Boy threw an angry glare in its direction. "Hey, Lupín, your village called; they're missing an idiot."

The red-head looked smug. "Oh? I thought you'd destroyed it?"

"Forget it," Beast Boy snapped. Anger was pricking at his control, as familiar a companion as it had once been when he couldn't remember right from wrong. This time there were no titans urging him to restrain his feelings, no Robin to keep him in check.

"You forget, Beast Boy," said Lupín. "We're exactly the same."

"I am _nothing_ like you," he denied.

"Then why are you here, hmm?" In answer Beast Boy snapped his teeth.

"Enough." Arran stood tall and imperial against the horizon. There was a thin line of blood dripping from his mouth. Beast Boy should have felt sickened. Instead, he was ravenous. Violet eyes focussed on him. "It's done?" he asked, and Beast Boy nodded. Arran opened his arms.

With a moment's hesitation, Beast Boy stepped into his embrace. He caught the flicker of emotion across Aquila's eyes and had to look away. That dangerous, volatile scent caught him finally. Beast Boy purred, deep in his throat, and reached up to lick the blood from Arran's mouth.


	21. Chapter 21

-1

Beast Boy's room looked exactly the way it had the last time he'd seen it; a hurricane of dirty clothes, cushions and paper. All it was missing was the vibrant energy of its inhabitant. It was as if Beast Boy had stepped out for pizza.

Robin knew better.

Or at least, he tried to convince himself that he did. With Beast Boy's belongings so close and the feel of him so strong, Robin couldn't believe that he'd left them, truly left them, for good.

He couldn't have meant it.

The rest of the team were in a similar state, sprawled around the Tower in various states of shock. None of them could believe that only a few hours ago, Beast Boy had attacked them.

Absently, Robin picked up a sheet of paper lying forgotten on Beast Boy's bed. It was a detailed sketch of a wing, draconian and anatomically perfect. _He never told me he could draw,_ mused some distant part of Robin's mind.

He let go and it fluttered away. Judging by everything that had happened in the past month or so, there were a lot of things he hadn't known about Beast Boy.

Robin stood silently in the middle of the room and just looked, drinking in the sight of the silent, empty space.

Now that Beast Boy had gone, turned and left them, - _how could you leave us?_ - they'd have to up their game, fighting one man down - if Slade decided to come back or start another of his stupid, dangerous games...

He was trying not to think about it. About what the absence of Beast Boy really meant for the team.

They wouldn't ever recover from this, Robin knew. _And I..._ He could barely admit it to himself, but the thought of never seeing him again, never seeing those bright green eyes or hearing his stupid jokes... it was killing him.

It was then, surrounded by so much barren space, that Robin knew that what he felt was real.

_Oh how sentimental,_ said his mind, while another part went _He tried to _kill_ you, remember?_

But that wasn't strictly true, Robin thought, frowning. He'd incapacitated the entire team, but he'd not actually harmed them.

Beast Boy _hadn__'__t _tried to kill them, and it was that one thought that sent Robin to the control panel, pouring over maps till the sky went dark.

_Beast Boy... why did you leave me all alone?_

xx

_Five hours earlier_

Robin ducked under the griffin's wing and leapt over an upturned trashcan. Around him echoed the shouts of his team-mates and the snarls of the two beasts. It was another battle, just like the ones they'd faced before, but even as he jumped and swerved and dodged, something in the air told him that this one would be different.

Diving forward the chimaera roared as something smashed into it. Raven hovered in the air, plucking things off the street and chucking them at it while Cyborg pummelled into the chimaera from the ground. It was a tactic that constantly kept the animal moving, and the chimaera snapped ineffectually as it was forced backwards.

Starfire and Robin were following a similar ploy, focussing on the griffin's wings while Beast Boy kept it occupied in the air.

Vividly green against the murky grey sky, a starbolt flew past the griffin. A couple of feathers floated to the ground and it screeched. They were doing well, Robin noted as he flipped over his bo staff, using the extra leverage to deliver a fierce kick, his heels drumming against the griffin's ribs. The two shape shifters looked battered and bruised; it wouldn't take much longer to finish them off.

Then it happened.

Something massive slammed into him with all the force of a raging tiger. Robin hit the tarmac on his shoulder and rolled a few feet. Raven was yelling something he couldn't make out and he could hear the familiar crash of breaking glass. Blindly he turned and stumbled to his feet.

The chimaera was bounding off into the shadows; there was no sign of the griffin. His team-mates were scattered over the street, apparently taken by surprise. Robin straightened and stepped forward. Duty bade him go after the enemy.

Beast Boy dropped down in front of him.

Bands of steel tightened around his chest. Somehow he'd known it would end like this. "Beast Boy," Robin said levelly. _Why are you doing this?_ "You're in my way. Move."

The shape shifter looked up. He was frowning but resolved. "No." Drops of water fell from the tips of his ears and Robin realised quite suddenly that it was raining.

"_Why_?" asked Robin, not quite able to keep the desperation from his voice.

"I'm sorry," he replied quietly. "I can't do this anymore; I can't fight myself to be with you." He took a slow, deep breath. "I want to go home."

Robin shook his head. "I don't understand." He was clutching his bo staff so hard his arm ached with the tension.

"Please, Robin. Let us go." That word shot through him like a bullet. '_Us', he said. How long has it been 'us'?_

"I can't," Robin said mechanically. "You know I can't." _How can you ask me?_

"You can't stop the Trinity, Robin." He took a step back, and the another. "When our master calls, we have to go."

"Beast Boy." Robin strode forward, alarmed. "Wait, Beast Boy, don't-"

"Sorry," he said simply, and just like that, he was gone.


	22. Chapter 22

-1

x

Under the crescent moon and half-hidden in the long grass, Beast Boy rolled onto his back and stretched contentedly. Around him sprawled his pack-mates, indolent and lazy after the hunt. Beast Boy could feel their body heat imprinted against his skin, and the scent of them curled through his senses. He felt sated, in a hazy kind of way, content.

For all the beauty of the star-sprinkled night, though, something was bothering him, like an itch under his skin or the nagging feeling that he had something important to do.

_Why couldn't he remember?_

"Stop thinking so much." Arran was pressed against his side, cool in comparison to the heat of the earth.

"Mm?" Fingers skidded across his ribs and Beast Boy sighed. _Never mind; it can't have been that important._

"Changeling..." Arran pressed a heavy kiss to his shoulder. Beast Boy lay there and let him take what he needed. "I want to go back," the older man whispered.

"... Go back?" Something flickered in the depths of his green eyes. _Go back to the city? To... the humans?_ "Why?" he asked, frowning. What was the point, when everything they needed was right here?

Arran looked angry for a moment, but quick as the wind the emotion passed and his face smoothed into a bland expression, slightly earnest. "Because I want to play. I want to _taste_ them, Beast Boy." He skimmed the shape shifter's hip with the pad of his thumb. The contact didn't make him feel tense like it used to, only muted and a little tired. "Don't you want to taste their fear?"

"I..." Beast Boy blinked. He wanted to say yes, yes of course - this was Arran _(alpha-leader-master)_, how could he even think something different? But instead he felt sick with want; want for something he didn't know, couldn't remember. Then Arran's touch moved a little higher and he felt his doubts wash away in his comforting scent. Whatever light that had touched his eyes left with them.

"Yes," he said.

x

Things had changed in the last couple of weeks. The Tower was silent, for one, grieving along with its inhabitants. No one laughed anymore - the one time Cyborg had, he'd quickly fallen silent and not spoken for the rest of the day. Laughter was reminiscent of Beast Boy.

Raven trudged through a shadowed corridor - strange how everything seemed so dismal, now - her thoughts circling in an endless, repetitive cycle. _Had she done the right thing?_

She would never have believed it possible, but Beast Boy had left an incomparable void among them. Who knew if he would ever come back? He could be halfway across the world by now, could very well be dead by now - no. No, she wouldn't even entertain that thought. _I'd know,_ Raven told herself, not for the first time. _I'd know._

They'd practically given up hope, she realised. All but one of them, and as she entered the open-plan living room, she knew he'd never stop searching.

Robin was bent over the main console, typing feverishly. Intermittent beeping and the soft hum of the machinery were the only sounds in the room. Raven sighed. She should have known this wasn't going to be easy. "Anything?" The masked boy didn't reply, didn't even seem to have noticed her. He hadn't been this focused on something since Slade.

Raven stood beside him, feeling the determination and exhaustion that rolled off him in waves. "Robin… They're shape shifters. How are you going to find them?" she asked gently.

"He has to eat," Robin muttered. There were stress lines around his mouth and his skin looked pale and wan. "Soon as he hits a town I'll know."

"Robin…" She shook her head wordlessly. Even a green animal wouldn't draw a second glance where there was no one to see, and Beast Boy never ate meat. "He _wanted_ to go. Even if you'd known what he was planning, you'd still have no way of finding him."

"That wasn't him; I won't believe it. I'm not giving up on him." His hands paused in their frantic dance and he hunched his shoulders as if he were anticipating an attack. "I should've known something was wrong; he was acting weird for weeks before, I just never thought…" Abruptly he turned to look at her, brows drawing together in a bemused frown. "What did you say?" The sudden change in expression made Raven take a step back.

"What?" she asked warily.

"You said 'if you'd known what he was planning.'" Robin was staring at her now, his aura chillingly cold.

"So?" The Titans' leader sat back, his body forming hard, tense lines.

"You should have said _we_. If _we__'__d_ known." Silently Raven cursed but her voice never wavered.

"It's the same thing, Robin."

"No." Robin shook his head slowly, and Raven recognised the wintry anger he'd always emitted when he fought against their enemies. This was the first time she'd seen it directed at her. "No, it's not, Raven. How did you know he wanted to go?" He looked at her in the dark and the mask slipped a little. A tendril of despair not her own curled around her heart and she faltered.

"I…"

"You knew, didn't you?" Robin hissed with none of his classic composure. "_Didn__'__t you?!_"

"… He made me swear not to tell," she said levelly.

"Why?" Robin asked harshly. "What did he tell you?" For a moment Raven said nothing but the sheer force of emotions rolling off the masked boy battered against her shields. _I__'__m sorry, Beast Boy_.

"He was being threatened."

"With his life?" Robin asked immediately.

"With _ours_," she said softly. "He said they were going to kill us."

Robin let his head fall into his hands and swore briefly. "Why didn't I think of this? He did _the same thing_, how could I not have _seen_-" Breaking off, he sat up straight and reached for the controls, once again resolute.

"What are you going to do?"

"I've got to find him. It's my fault he left; my fault for being blind. Get some rest; I'll need you to scan Jump City in expanding segments." Raven winced; expending energy looking for an emotional signature over such a wide area would take all she had - it was as good a punishment as she could take.

"Got it." Without another word she left the room. Behind her Robin ran a trembling hand through his hair. Looking at it, he clenched it into a fist a few times. When he relaxed, his fingers were steady. Seemingly satisfied, he leant over the computer terminal and began typing.

x


	23. Chapter 23

That's right, it's an update. ANOTHER ONE.

This chapter edges into an R rating. Nothing graphic, but be mindful of sexual tension and innuendo.

x

Robin lay in bed, his eyes open behind his mask. He couldn't sleep.

After a long day of fruitless searching, they'd had to race into the city to fend off a group of thieves that seemed to think they'd be an easy kill. Needless to say, the team was fine and the young burglars were kicking their heels in the city's jail.

Robin rubbed a hand through his hair and blinked blearily at the ceiling. It'd been harder without Beast Boy. A few teenagers shouldn't have posed a significant challenge, but he'd found himself working twice as hard just trying to keep everyone in synch.

They _needed_ Beast Boy. Much as he hated to admit to needing anything, there was precious little they could achieve fighting a five-man strategy in a four-man team. They would have to retrain, or call in Speedy or Aqualad for a while until someone else could take over...

Robin threw an arm over his eyes and gritted his teeth. _God _damn_ it, Beast Boy._

_"Please, Robin. Let us go."_

The shape shifter's words echoed over and over in his head, as they had a million times since he'd left. Robin tried to see around them, see them in a different light, but in the end what it came down to was that first, Beast Boy _knew_ the other shifters - and that betrayal alone made Robin wince; second, he'd hindered the Titans from stopping them; and third, worst of all, that he'd wanted to go with them _more than he'd wanted to stay._

"But why?" Robin mumbled into his arm. Raven had said they'd been threatening their lives; fine. _He could have found another way_, Robin though harshly, ignoring the voice that told him he would have, had done, the same. _I don't care. I want him back._

The air shifted suddenly and Robin froze.

His senses went on high alert as he strained to hear anything in the darkened room. Not for the first time, he wished he had Beast Boy's scent technique.

He could feel pressure in the air; the unwanted presence of another human being. Or _was _it human?

He'd worn boxers and a tank top to bed; it was hot and the criminals had already struck once today. Now he wished he'd worn his uniform. It would have given him another layer of protection.

Bracing himself, Robin let his whole body tighten. Swiftly he shifted his weight onto one hand and drew the other arm away from his face, ready to grab the expandable staff so close to his bed.

In hindsight, Robin should have known. The Tower was locked down every night and, after the attack by the Puppet King, even his room was secured against intrusion - but he'd never thought to protect himself from one of his own team-mates.

Beast Boy knelt above him on all fours, smirking.

Robin's eyes widened. "What-?"

The shape shifter tilted his head. "Did you miss me, little birdy?"

"_Gar_-" Robin recollected himself hastily. "Beast Boy, what are you dong here?" he hissed, tension running high as felt the gap between their bodies keenly.

Beast Boy grinned. The tip of his tongue pressed against one of his fangs teasingly. "I want to play," he informed the masked boy earnestly and snatched a kiss from Robin's parted lips.

_Oh. Shit._

His former team-mate lowered himself onto one of his elbows and pressed eager kisses to Robin's jaw. Beast Boy inhaled against his neck. "Do you have any idea…" Robin felt a wet tongue dart out to touch his skin and shivered. "… how long I've wanted to do this?" _Shit, shit, shit,_ Robin thought, shocked. _What the fuck, Beast Boy?_

"Gar," he tried, speaking calmly. "What's going on? Where have you be-" he winced and blinked wide eyes. Beast Boy had _bit_ him.

"Ssh," Beast Boy hushed him and kissed him again. The familiar press of those lips was ambrosia and Robin couldn't help but kiss back. Their tongues met and slid together; Robin felt the prick of a fang as Beast Boy tried to devour his mouth.

Robin ached with want. He was supposed to be a good boy, to do everything right and noble.

He was so _tired _of being a good boy.

The almost supernatural heat Beast Boy was emitting grew scorching as his body glided over his own. Boxers and shirt provided meagre defence, and in time at all he was hard and rutting up against the other boy. His breath hitched on the shape shifter's name. Beast Boy was hissing something dirty in his ear that sounded wicked and obscene and very, very tempting. Robin moaned, his grip on reality loosening. All that mattered was the fact that Beast Boy was _here_, with him.

"Robin," Beast Boy murmured, and the masked boy remembered that this was supposed to be his enemy.

"Stop." Wriggling, he found he was damn near helpless. Beast Boy had one of his legs up over his shoulder and his hips pressed intimately against his ass. Alarm bells started clamouring for attention in his head. "Stop. Beast Boy. I don't want to hurt you." The irony of _that_ sentence, lying as he was half under the shape shifter with his arms pinned and one leg in the air.

"Oh?" Beast Boy raised a clinical eyebrow, his voice cool. _What the hell's _happened_ to you?_ Robin wondered. "Are you sure?" he said, and flipped Robin over so that he was lying on his front with his face pressed into the sheets.

Real fear ripped through him. Robin struggled to get his hands underneath him. "Beast B-" A gasp escaped him as the titan's teeth scraped over Robin's bare shoulder. A rough tongue lapped away the small drops of blood.

"Or... d'you want to play like this?" And beside him he saw Beast Boy's hand change until a large, striped paw stood in its place.

Robin's eyes went wide. "Holy -" Fear surged to a breaking point and on its tail a swift, humiliating flash of arousal that was gone before he could breathe again. "_Gar_," he whispered, and - _thank God _- that green, _human_ hand was back.

He felt hot breath on his shoulder and tried to wiggle away, but Beast Boy leant on the back of his knees and he couldn't move his legs. _Fuck._ It would take one bite to sever his spinal cord in this position, and he could do fuck all about it.

Robin tried to think logically. This wasn't his team-mate, he had to remind himself. This was the beast. Fighting was only driving him on.

Robin let himself go limp and whined, just a little. After a moment, sharp teeth fastened around his neck gently. Beast Boy shook him lightly, growling all the while. Robin let him.

After a minute Beast Boy released him and licked at the bruised spot tenderly. Robin whined again, and Beast Boy answered with a growl, moulding his body to Robin's back.

The weight was comforting and Robin let him stay there, breathing slow and deep as his eyes darted around the room, looking for some kind of leverage. He didn't want to hurt Beast Boy, really hurt him, but if he could incapacitate him somehow...

In the near silence between their breaths Robin heard the high, distant call of a bird. A shudder went through Beast Boy and sluggishly he pulled away. "Gar?" The shape shifter mumbled something. He sounded weird, tired suddenly. Robin felt a sharp stab of alarm. "What's wrong?"

"Gotta'go," he muttered, sliding off the bed and stumbling a little.

"Fuck, Gar-" Robin reached for him but Beast Boy was at the window.

"Got to g'ome. S'calling." He shook it off before Robin could say anything else, pausing on the windowsill with that damning grin. "Let's play again, pretty birdy," he said, and fell from the window into the open air.

x

Quick shout out to my reviewers; you guys are amazing, keep doing what you're doing.

To answer a few questions and queries:

The Sadistic Homicidal Child: You prevent an interesting perspective, I hadn't thought about Beast Boy truly being happy in one place or another, but it made me stop and think.

Blkwngangel: Beast Boy did leave before the fight in the previous chapter; that was a flashback from Robin's point of view.

Ace.04: Thank you for all those reviews hun!

pureangel86: Yes, that was Robin in the shadows.

And I have no more time or space, but to everyone else, a massive big THANK YOU. I read every single review and though I don't tag you back, they make up a big reason why I write. Thanks so much.

I will see you next chapter.

lots o'love

Lasae


	24. Chapter 24

I anticipate perhaps three more chapters before The End.

x

Inexorable as time and space, the sun rose on a new day and Robin was up to meet it. The night's encounter had sent his emotions on a rollercoaster ride and he could only just manage to subdue them behind the black and white certainty of his mask. The shape shifter's uncharacteristic behaviour was still on his mind, still worried him, but a more important issue had arisen.

The central room looked like a hurricane had hit it. One side was a mess of torn wires and ruptured circuits. Beast Boy had disconnected the main computer, somehow taking the whole matrix offline so the Tower was completely isolated from the outside world.

It didn't take long for them to discover why.

With no way of dialling out and no signal getting in, the Titans had had to leave their base and manually scour the city for the slightest disturbance.

What they'd found was utter chaos.

A bank on Third had been broken into, two casualties; a building on the Bay torn up, no casualties; the whole of Wolfe Street practically destroyed, five casualties and more wounded.

Robin stood above the water, his expression grim. The bridge cables had been severed and they'd had to fish out a dozen people from the river. The masked boy frowned. He didn't understand. The destruction was completely random and totally pointless. Apart from one bank robbery, no money had been stolen, no scientific formulae, no weapons of mass destruction, nothing. What were they up to?

Smooth talking and quick thinking had placated the mayor; he'd made up something about a power outage - there was no way they could have known - and he'd been, not happy, but not quite out for blood.

Running a hand through his dark hair, Robin waited while the other Titans gathered around him.

"We should get back to the Tower," Cyborg said, unusually sombre. "Talk." Robin nodded silently. All of them wore the same look on their faces; resigned, bleak. They knew Beast Boy wasn't coming back - that he'd turned his back on them for good.

Robin still wasn't convinced.

x

"The wires to the main hard drive have been cut," Cyborg reported when they were seated around the circular table - massive now without Beast Boy's presence. "Everything's trashed; it'll take weeks to put back together. Someone knew exactly what they were doing." He sighed heavily, and his mechanical hands thudded against the table's surface loudly. "From what I found on the internal network, this morning at three thirty-three the security system was bypassed using an internal code," he narrated firmly. Emotions had been momentarily held in check as Cyborg focussed on the key issue. Robin hoped his own expressions could hold up under the same pressure.

"Beast Boy's code," he sighed. The android nodded tightly.

Collectively the titans seemed to deflate. This, then, was the proof.

_No,_ Robin thought. _It can't be._

"He must have known where they were from the start," said Raven quietly. She was staring at her clasped hands. "He only had to tell us and he could've ended it right then. I don't think... I don't think he ever planned on staying." There was sympathy in her voice, but it wasn't enough, would never be enough.

"He's really gone. He disconnected the alarms so we wouldn't know." Cyborg took a deep breath. "He's one of them now." Robin couldn't imagine how hard it had been, to say that. His best friend, turned traitor.

The Beast Boy he'd seen last night hadn't been the one he knew and - The one he knew. Could it have been the beast? But it'd never gone after him for… that… before. - Robin

"But he wouldn't." Robin stated. "Not Beast Boy. Not after-" he cut himself off and looked away. _Not after everything we shared. He wouldn't do that._

_...Would he?_

"What _I_ don't understand," Raven said slowly. "Is why he called them the Trinity when there are four of them."

Robin frowned. "There's something we're missing." _Or someone_, he thought with narrowed eyes. "I don't believe Beast Boy would willingly betray us like this," he began softly, almost to himself. "Raven's already said that someone was blackmailing him using us. It has to some kind of extension to that." He looked at each of them, staring back at him so desperate to believe. "He's _not_ evil," Robin insisted. "We just have to find out who's holding the reins." That triggered something, a half-forgotten conversation that suddenly seemed important. _What was it?_

Disregarding it for a moment, he placed his hands, palm down, on the table. "There are to be three Titans patrolling the city at any one time. We'll go by rota on nine hour shifts," he said, receiving only determined nods. He wished Beast Boy could see the devotion his team-mates had towards finding him. "As soon as any of them show up, we tag them with a homing device and follow them to their base. It has to be outside the suburbs; we can fight them there." _No holds barred_, he added silently, but their grim silence meant they'd understood.

If the worst came to the worse, they had permission to kill.

_God, don't let it come to that,_ Robin prayed. _Please be alright, Beast Boy._

x

Beast Boy lay panting on the ground, his back on fire. Every part of him ached, his muscles screaming in protest. God, he was so cold.

"Again," came a cold voice. Arran stood over him with crossed arms. His eyes were vacant, cruel. The shape shifters sat further away, casting sideway glances at him. He thought there might be sympathy in their gazes - they'd gone through this once themselves, after all.

"Please," he gasped, desperately begging for forgiveness. "Let me rest - just a bit, please-"

"I said _now_," Arran hissed. "_Try again_." Beast Boy whimpered, but he rose to his knees. Arching his back, he forced his body to change into a new pattern. _Oh God, it hurt_.

Skeletal forms burst from his back - finally, _finally_ - and Arran smiled.

Beast Boy managed a heartfelt groan before his human form was lost completely.

... _Robin_.

x


	25. Chapter 25

I would love to hear your opinions on this chapter.

x

Clouds huddled on the horizon like grey marshmallow monsters. The wind was cold and the weather turning bleak. A feeble moon shone dismally against the still light sky.

On a rooftop high above Jump City, Robin fingered the communicator on his belt and waited. Across the bay Starfire dipped between the skyscrapers and Cyborg lurked somewhere unseen below the skyline. Back in the Tower was Raven - Robin bristled as he thought of the telekinetic; he still hadn't quite forgiven her - keeping her senses open even as she pretended to rest.

Reality was murkier than it had ever been, but the one certainty Robin could count on was that the shape shifters would come back. They didn't go to all that effort to recruit a Titan just so they could steal him away. They were going to use him again. He just wished he knew how.

Something was wrong with Beast Boy; the other night just confirmed it. Something, or someone was controlling his actions. There was no other explanation for it. Robin just hoped he was in time to stop it. Before something happened that he couldn't stop.

"Robin!" Starfire paused mid-air, her scream drifting over the bay. "Over here!"

Hastily Robin pressed a button on his communicator. "Titans, Starfire's spotted something by the docks. Get over there now." Firing his grappling hook, Robin jumped off of the roof and sailed to the ground. He landed lightly next to the R-cycle. In seconds he'd revved the engine and was racing towards Starfire's position.

The others were already there by the time he arrived, facing off against two figures standing close to the water's edge. One was Beast Boy, his eyes emptier than Robin had ever seen them. The other...

Robin dismounted and moved closer. His team-mates shifted nervously, unsure. The second figure had dark hair and eyes that were almost violet. There was an arrogant curl to his lips that Robin immediately hated. This, then, must be the leader. The one Beast Boy seemed so afraid and so enamoured of at the same time. This had to be him.

"_Bastard_," he hissed under his breath. _Manipulative bastard._

"My sentiments exactly," the man murmured.

"Who are you?" Robin asked warily. If Beast Boy was afraid of him, there had to be a reason.

The man tilted his head back and looked at Beast Boy with reproach. "Changeling, you've been keeping me a secret?" He smirked at them, an expression that made Robin feel dirty. "My name is Draconis."

"Let Beast Boy go," said Raven, face an emotionless mask though her voice was trembling. Robin remembered the two of them sitting together and felt a pang of sympathy for her. "Now."

"I'm afraid I can't do that," he said with apparent regret.

"Why not?" asked Cyborg.

"He is our team-mate," Starfire added. "Let him go, or we will be forced to harm you."

"No." The grin faded and the man, Draconis, was frowning, irritated. They weren't behaving the way he'd expected, Robin realised. _He thought we'd just roll over and take it; he didn't think we'd figure him out._ A surge of anger went through him.

"We know you've been using us to get to him," Robin said quietly, carefully not looking at Beast Boy in case he inadvertently reveal something. "We'd rather die trying to get him back than live knowing a friend was in trouble." The others nodded their agreement. From the corner of his eye Robin saw Beast Boy move slightly.

Draconis must have seen it too, because he lifted his arm and twined his fingers in Beast Boy's hair at the nape of his neck. At his touch Beast Boy relaxed. "The Changeling belongs to me," Draconis crowed. His unusual eyes fixed on Robin, a glint of malicious joy in their depths. "And he _always has_."

With a snarl Robin leapt forward.

Currents of anger coalesced into the one urge to wipe that smug look off his face. He raised his fist, letting all of his rage fuel his strength. Shifting his weight onto his front foot, he swung his fist and... and...

... and hit Beast Boy.

_No._

"Beast Boy!" screamed one of the girls, and suddenly all was chaos as they ran towards their ex team-mate. Robin held out a hand and they stopped behind him, confused.

Green eyes looked up at him blankly and Robin knew that Beast Boy hadn't even registered that it was him. Above them Draconis smirked again. "You see? He's mine." Then, to Beast Boy, "Don't be long, Changeling. I don't want to wait tonight."

Before their eyes Draconis changed, mutating until a sleek black crow hopped in his place.

_Click_, went something in his head as another piece of the puzzle slid into place. Robin froze and the crow flapped its wings, rising into the air and flying off over the city.

"Beast Boy-" Starfire began, reaching out towards him.

Blurring, Beast Boy took the shape of a tiger and his paw swiped at the alien's arm. She snapped her hand back just in time.

"Fall back!" Robin yelled, his eyes on the snarling green tiger that eyed them like prey. Cautiously they circled it, dodging as he struck out but not attacking. None of them could bring themselves to raise a hand against Beast Boy.

After a moment the tiger became a Tyrannosaur and stomped between them. Giant teeth became their enemy as Beast Boy bit at them.

"Watch it!" Cyborg called, and he punched away the shape shifter's snout. The dinosaur became a rhino, and then after that a lion, and then after that an elephant. The changes came thick and fast and the titans tried desperately to subdue Beast Boy without harming him. His attacks were faster than Robin remembered, and he suffered a shallow scrape on his arm.

Beast Boy morphed back into a tiger and leapt up behind Starfire as she took to the air. Growling, he sank his teeth into her leg and she screamed.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos," muttered Raven and her power seized Beast Boy and threw him several feet away, into a narrow alley.

"Raven! Heal Starfire!" Robin commanded quickly. "Cyborg, get the homing device - I'll make him change back."

"Got it," Cyborg acknowledged and Robin ran towards the alley.

Beast Boy was climbing to his paws, thrashing his tail from side to side. "Beast Boy." The tiger leapt at him. Robin dodged easily and smashed him up against the brick wall.

With a yelp Beast Boy morphed back into human form and Robin caught him before he could change again, wrapping his arms tightly around the boy's shoulders. "Beast Boy," he whispered into a tapered ear. "Gar, please, talk to me." The body in his arms shuddered, and he could feel the tension slowly seep out of it. Robin sent up a silent prayer of thanks. "What is it?" he asked, pulling away to look him in the eye. "Beast Boy, what's going on?"

"... Robin?" Beast Boy shook his head and stepped away. His eyes were no longer empty, Robin noted with relief.

"Yeah, it's me. You alright?" The shape shifter wrapped his arms around himself and gazed at him with something akin to despair.

"What are you doing here? Why did you come?"

"I came for you," Robin replied, frowning. "I came to take you home."

"I don't want to go back," Beast Boy replied, stepping back suspiciously.

"That's not true." Robin stretched his hand out as Starfire had done, pleadingly. "I know he was blackmailing you - using us - but we _know_ now. We can help you, protect you."

Beast Boy looked away. "You don't understand," he said. "I'm one of them. Part of their _family_," he added bitterly. "You don't understand what that means."

"Then make me," Robin said simply.

Beast Boy hesitated. His eyes searched Robin's face. "I'm a killer, Robin," he said, finally.

"It was a mistake," Robin said firmly, immediately. "You wouldn't willingly hurt anyone."

Beast Boy had started shaking his head before Robin had finished speaking. "It wasn't a mistake, Robin. It's who I am."

"You can fight it, Beast Boy," Robin said, voice tinged with desperation. Why wasn't he getting through to him? "I know you can!"

Beast Boy gave a short laugh that broke in in the middle. "You still don't get it, do you." He looked at Robin with those familiar green eyes. "I don't _want_ to fight it."

That shot through him with the pain of a bullet but Robin ignored it. "It's _him_, Beast Boy, it has to be! Just because he's a shape shifter doesn't mean he's _right_ -"

"It's not that! He's not a shape shifter!" Beast Boy interrupted angrily. He snapped his mouth shut and looked away.

"What are you talking about?" Robin asked, bemused. "Beast Boy, I _saw_ him -"

"No." He was quiet now. Resolute. "You just don't get it, do you?"

"What? Get what?" Fear was running through him now, triggered by the despair in Beast Boy's eyes. _Please please please,_ went his mind, though he didn't know what he was pleading for. _Where are you, Cyborg?_

Beast Boy shrugged half-heartedly. "I suppose it doesn't matter now; you'll find out sooner or later." He looked away, his expression soft, vulnerable. "Perhaps, perhaps if it was _you_... it would - it'd be alright."

"Beast Boy, what are you talking about?"

"I didn't want this to happen. I wanted to leave, so you wouldn't have to go through this." He closed his eyes tightly. " So… _I_… wouldn't have to go through this."

"What do you mean?" Robin asked desperately.

"You can't stop them, Robin."

"Beast Boy." Beast Boy wouldn't meet his eyes. "Beast -"

"I'm sorry."

Suddenly Cyborg slammed into him with a fierce battle cry. After a startled yelp Beast Boy morphed into a dinosaur and threw him off. Instead of pressing his advantage, though, he immediately changed again and took off into the air after the crow.

"Did you do it?"

Cyborg had his hands on his knees and was breathing heavily. He grinned widely and gave Robin a thumbs up. "Yep. On his shoe - he won't even notice."

"Good." Robin couldn't bring himself to say anything else. The Titan was grinning, congratulating himself on a job well done; he couldn't smash his hopes by telling him that Beast Boy didn't _want_ to be rescued. "Starfire?"

"Raven's healing her now."

Thank God; they couldn't afford another loss, not now. "Alright. Follow the signal and keep it in range. Call back when it gets to the edge of the suburbs." Cyborg nodded and ran off, his feet heavy and loud in the twilight air.

Robin crossed his arms and looked out over the ocean. "I don't understand," he muttered, frustrated. "If he's not a shape shifter..."

_Then what is he?_

x


	26. Chapter 26

---

The sound of the waves seemed harsh against the relative quiet of the night. Robin turned from them to stand by the glinting curves of his motorcycle, ears straining for a sound from Cyborg. Raven threw him a worried glance but said nothing, concentrating on the dark energy wrapped around Starfire's leg.

Robin began pacing, gnawing on his lower lip anxiously. Every second that Beast Boy was away felt like an eternity. Draconis could be doing anything to him - he flinched at the thought of what he could already have done - and Robin was standing here twiddling his thumbs.

A high beeping sound jerked him into movement. Quickly he grabbed his communicator and flipped it open. "Robin."

"I've got it," came Cyborg's voice, tinny over the distance. "Signal's a bit weak but it's consistent. Heading onto Charles' St. now" Robin felt the first surge of awareness sweep through him. The edges of his mask blurred as he vaulted onto the R-cycle and sped off after him.

This was it. Finally. The image of Beast Boy appeared in his mind's eye, young and naive that first time they'd met. Then a vision of him from the other night, so changed.

_Beast Boy..._ Robin ached at the thought of him alone, at the mercy of these animals. _I'm going to bring you home. I promise._

But it wasn't Beast Boy.

It was the red-headed man, standing hunched into himself with small scratches on his face. He looked edgy and Robin hesitated. Behind him he heard the roar of the T-car and Cyborg appeared beside him.

"Signal's drawing off towards the woods," he muttered, gesturing to a street behind the chimaera.

Frowning, Robin settled into a ready stance. "Where's Beast Boy?" he asked sharply.

The man shrugged. "Fuck should I know?" the shape shifter spat. "He's Arran's little pet now, isn't he? Doesn't give a shit about the rest of us anymore." _Arran?_

Tendrils of dark shadow erupted from the ground a short way away. When they'd dispersed, Raven and Starfire stood there. Both of them looked pissed.

"Where's Arran then?" Cyborg asked, already priming his arm cannon. Even if this guy suddenly had a miraculous change of heart, they were still taking him down.

Cinnamon eyes glittered and he answered them with a childish, "Ain't telling you."

Robin lifted his arms and sketched a quick Single Whip. The other Titans copied him, falling gently into readiness. All of them looked grim. "Fine." _We'll just beat it out of you._ "Titans," he stated softly into the silence. "Go."

As one entity they turned on him. Slower than he'd expected, the man transformed and the two-headed chimaera shook itself hastily.

Shamelessly taking advantage of his lapse, the Titans were quick to surround him. Green bolts tore into the ground beneath it and the chimaera jumped back, straight into Raven's clutches.

Stung, the animal roared, its hooves clattering on the tarmac. The canine head lunged towards him and Robin leapt back, just barely escaping the range of its teeth. Cyborg hit it with a battering of punches and Robin swung over him to deliver a swift kick with his entire weight behind it. The hissing, serpentine tail lashed out and caught a glancing blow across Raven's shoulder. Another hit from Cyborg and they heard the crack of broken ribs. Without the distraction of its winged friend, the chimaera was no match for them. It was over disappointingly quickly.

Before it was wrestled to the ground, the animal changed shape again, and Robin recognised the thin Timber Wolf they'd run into weeks ago. It howled loudly, and Raven's dark power surrounded it, trapping its legs and holding it down.

The wolf turned back into a man, his clothes ripped over bloody bruises. Robin knelt beside him as Cyborg stepped back to call the police. "Well?" he asked again, voice cold. "Where is he?"

Shaggy hair falling into his eyes, the man grinned. His teeth were broken in some places. "Coming. They're all coming."

Robin swore. Leaping back he cast a searching glance at the sky. Distantly he heard the police sirens approaching. "We've got to move," he told the team. "Can you hold him for a bit?" Raven nodded.

"I'll come as soon as I can," she said resolutely, moving to stand over the fallen thief.

"Good." He nodded at her and the fine lines of stress around her eyes eased a bit. "Come one," he said to the others. "Head for the forest, it's not far."

Disregarding his grappling hook - he'd be far too vulnerable caught on a line - Robin set off at an easy lope. Cyborg and Starfire took his lead, zig-zagging through the streets towards the edge of town.

They got almost halfway there before they met resistance. This time it came in the form of Slade.

"What the _hell_?!" Cyborg shouted.

Robin was seething. He was fucking _tired_ of running into the deadly mercenary. "_What_?!"

The shadowed man clasped his hands behind his back and stood with feet apart. "Well, that's certainly not the attitude I was expecting. Do you always greet your allies so amiably, I wonder?"

"Are you helping us?" inquired Starfire hopefully.

"I'm not fighting with you," came Slade's answer, his liquid tones grating on Robin's nerves.

"Then you are not our ally," she replied icily.

"Oh, but I have more to offer than simple, brute strength." He walked through the shadows, the fading sunlight glinting off the orange of his mask. "Remember what I said, Robin? Did you find his strength?"

"No," Robin grunted. "I don't know what it is."

Slade tutted. "Dear, dear. Not what or where, I don't think. You don't do too well with games, do you, boy?"

"I don't have fucking _time_ for your cryptic bullshit," Robin bit out.

An elegant shrug and Slade disappeared, his last words floating out of the darkness. "Remember, Robin. Find his strength, and you find his weakness."

Grimacing, Robin whipped round. They'd wasted so much time already, there wasn't any spare. He started forward, but he'd only taken a few steps when a familiar, caustic scream rang through the air.

"Griffin!" yelled Cyborg, cocking his powerful cannon and shooting a beam of blue energy into the darkening sky.

The winged feline dove into their midst and they scattered. Quickly Starfire flew up above the skyline, intent on an advantage over the griffin. From there she rained down starbolts in rapid bursts of energy. A couple sliced into the griffin's flesh and left smoking wounds.

Robin and Cyborg launched a simultaneous attack on both sides, aiming their punches for the vulnerable tendons at the base of each wing. The griffin screeched, whirling from side to side as it snapped and clawed. With a sickening thud the android's fist connected against its shoulder; the leg collapsed and the griffin swung to the side. Cyborg was too slow to pull away and it gouged a jagged line in his arm.

"_Ow_!" he cried, staggering back. "Mother of-" Gritting his teeth, he dove back into the fray.

Having incapacitated one set of talons Robin focussed on the other side. He drove his fist into the griffin's diaphragm and followed with a roundhouse kick that knocked it on its side. Starfire dropped lower and with delicate precision fired a starbolt directly at its head.

The griffin reared back, its tawny feathers melted away to reveal a slender, blond boy, barely a man. Robin leapt on him immediately, pinning his arms to the ground with his knees and pressing the shaft of his bo against the man's throat. Blue eyes stared up at him narrowly, but with none of the chimaera's emotion. In fact, he couldn't detect any kind of life behind the surface sheen of his eyes.

"Who are you?" asked Robin tightly. He didn't answer, so Robin pressed the staff tight against his throat. The man coughed a bit. "_Who are you_?" he repeated harshly.

"A-Aquila," the man said finally, his voice scratched and raw.

"Where's Beast Boy?" he demanded.

The griffin's eyes darted towards the path he'd come from. "The forest, he's still there." Robin eased the pressure a little, sitting back with a frown.

"Alright. Who's Draconis? _What_ is he?" Silence from his captor and Robin placed his thumb under Aquila's chin, in the hollow behind his jaw. "Tell me, and I might not kill you."

A shudder went through the man, his limpid eyes glittering for an instant. Robin felt disgusted but didn't draw back. The man blinked languidly. "Our teacher," he said softly. His accent was refined; Robin couldn't place it but he thought upper class.

"What do you mean?" he asked in the same tones, crouching closer.

The griffin glanced at him then looked away, focussing on some distant vision. "He found me first, me and then Lupín," he murmured quietly. "We were special, he said."

"Because you could change into those things?" Cyborg asked from over his shoulder and Robin cursed the interruption.

"No," the man shook his head, ashen hair dancing at the movement. "It was only the little change we could do. An eagle and a wolf," he said, almost mockingly, "And we thought we were special. You can imagine," he whispered, looking back at Robin, "What he thought of the Changeling."

Robin pressed his lips together. Oh yes, he could imagine.

"He taught us to change into _those things_. He needed the bigger changes, you see. The impossible ones. Maybe the little ones didn't make an impact." Blue eyes stared up at the sky and he spoke thoughtfully. "He'd gone through dozens before, he said, but for a while we were enough. The Trinity, we called ourselves. But he wanted more. Something bigger, better. And he found the Changeling."

Robin sucked in a breath. The griffin spoke into a bubble of silence. "So he saved him, and took him away, and started to teach him. But..."

"But?" Robin asked anxiously.

Aquila gave an odd sort of smile. "But he didn't like it." _"I'm a killer, Robin."_ "He tried to fight it, and Arran... he was very angry." Aquila frowned then. "The Changeling trapped him somehow, almost killed him, I'm not sure... and he left. Just ran away."

_"I didn't know you knew the constellations."_

_"There's a lot you don't know." Rolled eyes. "I was out with no cover a lot; you get to know them after a while."_

Robin swallowed. He hated how everything was starting to make sense. "So you came here." _Took him away from me._

"Yes. And Arran started teaching him again." At that Robin had to physically stop himself from hurting the shape shifter.

"But _why_?" he muttered angrily. "What does he want Beast Boy for so badly?" _Wait. Wait, wait; how could he teach them to transform if he's not a shape shifter?_ "What's his power?" he practically growled. Aquila just looked at him. _"What's Arran's power?"_

A sigh puffed out over the man's pale lips. "Energy manipulation."

_What?_ "What?"

"Arran steals the energy of a soul; its strength, its powers, its essence, and replaces it with some of his own. We change, so he can change," Aquila whispered.

"He uses you for your powers," he realised, shocked. _So he's using Beast Boy as some kind of powerhouse?_ "You said he'd gone through others," said Robin, dreading the answer. "What do you mean, _gone through_?"

"Used up," Aquila replied simply. "He burned them out."

"Dead?" someone whispered.

"As good as," the man murmured.

"And Beast Boy?" asked Robin.

"He's never had one like the Changeling. He's been using him more than he ever used the rest." Robin closed his eyes for a minute. _I'll stop him. I swear it._ With one swift movement, he contracted his bo staff and slammed it into Aquila's temple. The man went out like a light.

_One more down_, thought Robin, adrenaline pumping through his veins, screaming the only two words that mattered.

He had to get to Beast Boy.

"Cyborg, get a van over here for this one. Star, go back and get Raven. We'll need her for this." he rapped out. "I'm going to scout ahead."

"But-" The Titan was cut off by a swift movement from Starfire. "Alright," he conceded grudgingly. "But I ain't waiting long."

"Just hurry." Without another word Robin turned back onto their original path, the two Titans left bewildered in his wake.

He hadn't told them the real reason for going ahead; he had to see Beast Boy alone. See if he was still the Beast Boy he'd called friend, or if there was anything left worth saving.

_Beast Boy... Gar..._

He'd do anything to save him, Robin knew, his feet tearing up the ground. Anything.

_I'm coming._

_---_


	27. Chapter 27

I have a few things to say before you read this chapter.

One: I apologise for the delay; this one took a little longer to hash out the climax. I hope it meets your expectations (I'd love to know, either way).

Two: Thanks to the new adult control features at Livejournal, I've unlocked the NC-17 chapter of Sins. I will by no means be offended if you de-friend me consequently, it's entirely up to you, but the fact of the matter is, it's viewable to everyone who is of full consenting age. My journal link is here: dar-ota. livejournal .com / profile, just remove the spaces.

Three: This is the last full chapter of Sins. Saying that, there will be a brief epilogue to look forward to, so please don't massacre me just yet.

Now, shall we travel once more into the breach, dear friends?

x

The scent of pine stung his nostrils, and each shadowy tree loomed out of the night like a sinister menace. Robin twisted around them, earning scratches and tears in his haste. The moonlight cast pretty shadows on the grass but he didn't notice.

All he saw were Beast Boy's eyes, dark with pain and anger that weren't his.

Robin ran through the woods, his mind urging him faster and faster. He had to see Beast Boy, find out if he could still reach him, or if Arran's power had taken too much.

Power. _Strength_.

Suddenly every little clue came together and Slade's words rang loud as a siren in his head. _Find his strength, and you find his weakness._ All his enigmatic little digs about the titans, about strength and weakness, that's what he'd meant. The other end of the leash was _Beast Boy_.

Robin halted, ducking into the shadows for a moment as his mind raced.

What could he do? If Draconis was using him as a source of power than how could he cut the link?

Robin pressed a hand against the cool bark, breathing as quietly as he could. He remembered the way Beast Boy had quietened at one touch from the dark-haired man.

_Touch. He does it through touching him._

Oh, fuck. Robin almost groaned at the pain that thought sent through him. _The bruises._ _They were fingerprints._

_On his hips._

Oh, _god_.

Gritting his teeth, Robin drove the agonizing thoughts from his head. He couldn't think about that now; Beast Boy was in danger, nothing else mattered.

He had to separate them. If he could get Beast Boy away from him, somehow; surround him with gentle influences, his own touch...

_And then what?_ _When you've got him back, how can you keep him that way?_

The only conclusion Robin could see was simple; Arran had to die.

Dim moonlight cast pretty patterns on his arm as Robin clenched his fist. Silently he thought of that perfect, untouched image of the old Beast Boy, and to its eyes he swore he'd die before he'd give up.

All of a sudden a low, predatory growl echoed among the looming shadows of the trees. Alone in their midst Robin experienced the innate, age-old fear of the hunted. For the first time in his life he felt like prey.

With stern control he repressed the urge to flee, instead scouring the undergrowth for the slightest glimpse of his quarry.

_There_.

Branches shivered over unnatural, dappled green. Stilling his body, Robin breathed noiselessly through his mouth and waited.

A rustling sound interrupted the silence, and from the bushes erupted an _oh-so-familiar_ form. Unable to do more than sidestep his launch, Robin turned to face him. With a few quick steps to the side he evaded another lunge and stood beside the titan's shoulder.

"Beast Boy," he whispered, laying a hand on the taut muscle. The skin shivered under his palm. "Gar, _please_, come back to me." The tiger crouched down, its belly low against the ground and its eyes huge and dark as it stared up at him. Robin felt a thrill as he realised that he was getting through, that somewhere inside the beast the boy could still hear him. "Gar," he said again. He was so close he could almost see the human light in his eyes. "Gar, please..."

"Well, isn't this just _charming_?" A shudder went through Beast Boy so quickly Robin only felt it through his hand. The tiger slunk back and Robin stood slowly.

"Draconis," he muttered, eyes on the feline as it shrank back, peering at him from the darkness. In contrast, the older man almost glowed in the faint light, his eyes gleaming with power that Robin knew to be Beast Boy's.

"By all means, call me Arran," said the man with a gracious bow.

"I don't know what you want, but I'm going to stop you," Robin informed him, moving to face him fully, Beast Boy a sharp reminder at his back.

"Mm?" Arran inquired. "Come to kill me, have you, little birdy?" The phrase made him blink and he nearly grinned. He'd last heard those words coming from Beast Boy's mouth, leant over him and smirking. He knew, now, that - whatever he felt about Beast Boy's attack that night - it hadn't been the shape shifter in control, and, more importantly, _he could reach him despite it_.

Biting his lip on a sudden, hysterical laugh, Robin glared at the man and remained silent. Violet eyes glittered "Of course, you should know better," he said lightly. "You'd have to kill him to do it."

"No," Robin snapped despite himself.

"Oh yes, Robin. You'll have to kill him."

"Never!" he spat.

Arran raised an eyebrow. "Best friends, are you?" he asked, mockingly. "Up then, Changeling, and show him how good a _friend_ you can be."

Movement behind him and Robin heard soft, _human_ footsteps. Breath on his neck and he could feel the heat of another presence on his back. Robin tensed, very aware of the hushed, empty forest and the two figures that flanked him. His team-mates must be on the way; if he could distract the man somehow...

Arran took a step closer. His face was half-hidden by shadow but even Robin could see the flicker of lust that sped across it. "You want to taste him, don't you, kitten?" he murmured. A rushed breath on his neck. Robin stood very still, his gaze intensely focussed on nothing. _Distraction, distraction, distraction,_ he thought fiercely, and then suddenly; _if Beast Boy touches me..._

"Go on, kitten," Arran urged. "Taste him for me."

And slowly, achingly slowly, Robin felt the touch of Beast Boy's lips on his skin. His eyes fluttered involuntarily behind his mask. The touch became stronger as Beast Boy kissed his neck, mouthing at the cords and sliding his lips over the pulse point at its base. The first touch of his tongue felt almost like a physical shock, it had been so long. It sent a frisson of desire through him and he tilted his head back to give him more access. Beast Boy wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him closer as he feasted greedily on Robin's skin. Through half-lidded eyes Robin watched his enemy and waited. The prick of a fang made him wince but Beast Boy grunted lightly and soothed the wound with his tongue. Triumph flared in his belly and Robin had to look away.

He had no doubt that Beast Boy was supposed to be tasting his _blood_; Arran's lust for it was clear every time the shape shifter went to bite him. Instead Beast Boy was being excruciatingly careful not to harm Robin in the slightest. Beast Boy _recognised _him.

Something occurred to him suddenly and he turned his head towards Beast Boy's beautiful ear, tangling his fingers in green hair so it shielded his mouth. "Gar," he breathed, and the mouth on his skin trembled. "Arran takes your power and _gives back his own_. He's using it to control you; _he used it to make you kill_," Robin hissed, and yanked his head away.

With a soft, confused noise Beast Boy staggered back. Robin stepped away from him, his pulse steadying as he drew Arran's focus, back on familiar ground. "You won't get to me like that," he stated quietly, though proof to the contrary marked his throat red.

Arran chuckled, turning to keep him in sight. "Shame. He's so good with his mouth, don't you think?"

Rage built in him but Robin ignored the jibe. "You're a murderer," he said quietly. _Only you. It was always you._ "I'm going to stop you."

Regret seemed to blossom in Arran's odd-coloured eyes. "That really is a shame," he said mournfully. "Ah well, it will so much fun to tear you open," he whispered, a thin smirk tightening his lips.

Robin's eyes narrowed. "You can try," he retorted, settling quickly into a _neko ashi dachi_.

Arran smiled beatifically. "Silly little birdy. You cannot defeat the indomitable," he said, eyes sparkling with something that immediately made Robin take a step back. "I am _fearrrr..._" Arran growled, the bestial sound echoing among the haunting trees and deepening, deepening until it reverberated through his chest.

The human figure hunched over and fell to all fours. It grew, skin darkening and turning rough. Arran's head elongated, sprouting new bones as his neck lengthened. Finally, two reptilian wings burst from the creature's back and spread out, eclipsing the star-spangled sky.

Arran was gone, and a colossal _dragon_ stood in his place.

Robin looked up, his gaze travelling up the huge, sharp talons, over the broad chest and up the long, serpentine neck to the slender, horned head.

_Well, shit._

Like lightning the head surged towards him, the mouth opening on a savage roar to expose lines of sallow, jagged teeth. Stumbling back, Robin fell to the side, grunting as one of those wicked teeth sliced a deep cut on his arm. He rolled away, stung by broken branches and wincing as his arm burst with pain. He hit a stone, a huge rock half buried in the ground.

The dragon's massive clawed feet stomped towards him, the sound thundering through the earth until Robin thought he would never hear anything else.

Hastily he scrambled to his feet, reaching for his weapons. _What the hell could he use against this?_ A long tail whipped by him, sketching a painful graze on his cheek. Robin ducked away, arching sinuously as he tried to avoid the creature's feet.

"Fuck! Where _are _they?!" he hissed, tugging a birdarang from his belt. The missile sang eagerly through the air and clipped Arran's neck. Rearing back, the dragon snapped at it uselessly, and Robin freed his _bo_, hurling it at the nearest patch of scales. The blunt object made little impact, his strength pitiful against the huge monster's. "Damn it!" he cried, leaping away even as Arran's head swung down towards him. It stared at him, nostrils flaring as it huffed throatily, and Robin realised it was laughing.

Alone, he must look pitiful against this huge, hulking threat. True, if his team-mates didn't get hear soon, there would be nothing left of him but a few spatters of blood. But he didn't care. There was a more important hurt than his.

He grinned, wiping dirt from his mask. Hot air hit him with all the force of a physical blow; Arran was so close he could see the saliva drip from his open mouth. The dark-scaled muzzle was barely an inch away.

"Cocky son of a bitch," he muttered, smirking. The _bo _staff steadied in his right hand. "You should never have touched him," he whispered, and ran forward. He reached out and touched the dragon's slender nose, using his momentum to jump up and flip over so that he landed on the surprised creature's face. A large violet eye blinked at him. Robin rose the staff above his head, cloak flapping in the breeze. "I hope you rot in hell," he spat and thrust the stick straight into his eye.

Arran shrieked. His head lurched and Robin went flying. He crashed into a tree and fell to the ground, winded. The dragon was roaring, whipping its head from side to side and spraying blood everywhere. Robin pushed himself up and smiled with grim satisfaction to see his staff sticking up out of the dragon's wounded eye socket. At least he'd managed that much.

Snarling loudly, Arran slammed his head into the ground once and roared again. Tail thrashing, his head snaked through the air until his one good eye fixed on the battered red and gold figure that was Robin.

The massive talons wrapped around his body and with a jerk he was lifted into the air. Robin struggled desperately against the hold. His muscles strained as they tried to escape the reptilian claws.

The semi-blinded dragon screamed at him and Robin managed a weak laugh. "The Titans will kill you for what you did to Beast Boy," he wheezed, ribs creaking as Arran tightened his hold. "I'm just glad I could ruin your pretty face," he grinned, the expression twisting as Arran ground his claws together and wrung from him a high, sharp scream.

Abruptly something blurred across his vision and he was dropped into the softer ferns. Breathing heavily, Robin cradled his aching ribs and looked up.

The dark-scaled dragon had turned and was backing up, growling fiercely at a much smaller, very green dragon.

"Oh god," Robin choked, eyes widening. "_Beast Boy_!"

The green dragon flapped its wings and roared. Arran snarled and rose half into the air, swiping at Beast Boy with its cruel talons. With a wounded sound the shape shifter flinched, and Robin saw the claws dig into his scales and sprout blood. Beast Boy snapped at Arran, grazed his teeth along the dark dragon's shoulder.

The air was filled with hoarse roars and stomps as the two dragons crashed into each other, smashing the delicate forest under their bodies. Beast Boy lunged at the other dragon and bit at his face, his teeth knocking into Robin's _bo_ and scraping the injured flesh. Arran screamed again, and shoved Beast Boy to the ground. Using his superior weight and height, he leaned on Beast Boy and held him down as he thrashed.

"No!" Robin shouted, struggling to get to his feet. "Stop!"

With obvious relish, Arran reared back, opening his mouth wide before he dove down and sank his teeth into Beast Boy's flesh.

Robin screamed.

After what seemed like an eternity Arran lifted his reptilian head and looked at him. There was blood dripping from his mouth and Beast Boy wasn't moving - _oh God, Beast Boy's not _moving - and Robin couldn't seem to feel anything but shock.

The dragon slithered off the small dragon and headed towards him. It opened its mouth for another deathly lunge.

A beam of blue light struck it in the side of the head. Grunting, Arran listed to the side before he gathered himself to face the newcomers.

"Robin!" Starfire raised her arms, fists and eyes glowing bright green. "Are you alright?" He nodded, not quite sure if they could see but thinking only _thank God_. Raven was beside her, surrounded by her dark powers and ripping up trees by the handful.

Below them Robin could just see Cyborg standing by the still motionless green dragon. He was knelt by its head, saying something, but then an avalanche of dirt and stones blocked the sight. Robin struggled to stand, to go to them, but the forest was chaos and the battle still raged.

Arran whipped his head from side to side as he tried to catch the two sprites who dodged him so nimbly. Starfire weaved patterns around his head with her starbolts, burning the scales on his neck and shoulders with targeted ease. He tried to bite her and she punched his snout with solid force, sending him staggering back. Raven hovered on his blind side, tossing heavy trees and stones at him.

Snarling, the dragon was pushed back. Starfire pummelled it continuously, tearing into its scales, her face an expressionless mask. She grabbed Robin's staff, still embedded in the dragon's eye, and with a grim nod from Raven, she plunged it deeper.

Arran shrieked in agony, reptilian body quaking at the renewed pain. The alien gripped the _bo_ and tugged on it mercilessly, forcing the dragon down and onto its side. Then she ripped the staff out, its end dragging bloody gore. The dragon keened.

Raven gestured with one hand and yanked from the ground a huge rock Robin recognised as the one he'd rolled into earlier. He held his breath and watched as she moved it over the dragon's shuddering head. Raven closed her eyes, and one swift cutting gesture negated her power.

The rock plummeted to the earth and crushed the dragon's head under its weight.

Blood and gore splattered them all, surrounded the broken, headless body of the dark dragon as it lay forever silenced.

The girls landed beside Cyborg, Starfire standing beside him with her arms wrapped around herself and Raven moving to kneel beside Beast Boy's head.

Robin staggered towards his team, gripping his bleeding arm and wincing as his every breath drew dull pain from his chest. Exhausted, Robin fell to the ground next to them. The green, scaled chest was moving, rising slowly as Beast Boy breathed.

Raven had begun chanting frantically under her breath.

_God, oh God, please._

There was blood everywhere. "What's wrong? Why won't he change back?" he whispered.

Cyborg was resting a hand against Beast Boy's neck, his head bowed, and didn't answer. Starfire held herself tighter. "I don't think he can," she answered softly.

_No_. "Beast Boy." He touched the dragon's head, feeling the cold seep through his skin.

_Please._

"Beast Boy," he said quietly, and one green eye slid open to look at him. He shook his head, tears pricking at his self-control. "It's over," he whispered. "You can come home now; it's alright now, everything's going to be alright, just _hold on_, Beast Boy." The dragon regarded him for a moment wearily, then his eye slowly fell shut.

"No, Gar!"

_Please._

"Gar, please, hold on, okay? Just _hold on_!"

_Please. Don't die._


	28. Epilogue

x

The warm, balmy air smothered him, stealing away his breath as he ran. Robin panted, darting in and out of the shadows in an effort to shake off his pursuer. Above him the sun seemed not to realise his need for cover, shimmering brightly in a cool, blue sky.

Adrenaline pumped through his blood, as familiar and addictive as he remembered. Stepping lightly on the balls of his feet, Robin sped into the forest. Tangled trees and broken ground leapt up as an aching reminder and he flinched, lurching to a halt.

Beast Boy had lain there bleeding his life away. With a grunt, Robin whirled around and was immediately hit by a large, heavy force. It tackled him to the ground and Robin couldn't suppress a groan as his newly healed ribs protested loudly.

"Sorry!" The creature on top of him melted away and Beast Boy ran a hand over his chest. "Sorry, sorry; you alright?" he asked, worried green eyes staring into his own.

"I'm fine," Robin replied, smiling a little. Beast Boy slid over him a little so he wrapped an arm around his waist. "Besides, shouldn't _I_ be asking that question?" he said, half-teasing.

"Eh..." Beast Boy ducked his head, a blush winging its way across his cheekbones. "It's fine, just a bit itchy." Pressing a hand over the shape shifter's top, Robin felt the unnatural smoothness beneath that was all that remained as evidence of his close encounter with death. With Raven's help, most of their mutual scars had disappeared, but this one remained a stubborn memento to Beast Boy's past. Robin touched it as much as he could; he didn't like the idea of Beast Boy trying to hide it.

"No other scars giving you trouble?" he asked softly, and both of them knew he was asking about more than just teeth marks.

Beast Boy smiled at him. "No. Nothing hurts any more." He dropped a chaste kiss on Robin's jaw. "And I'd tell you if something happened."

"Good," sighed Robin. "I like it when you talk to me."

Green eyes glittered momentarily. "Oh yeah?" Beast Boy asked smugly. His voice dropped into an octave Robin was becoming dangerously familiar with. "I bet you _love_ it when I talk to you."

"Beast Boy!" Robin squirmed suddenly as a warm mouth attacked his neck. "_Beast Boy_! We're in the middle of th-" He bit off his words when the shape shifter rumbled with an animalistic growl. God, but that sound did things to him that shouldn't be possible. He tugged Beast Boy up, needing to hear the confirmation that would put his mind at ease. "Are you sure about this? It's not gonna be all wine and roses, and I don't want to push you..."

Beast Boy smirked, cutting him off with a kiss and a little wriggle. "Of course it's not. It's going to be running and music and cat fights and lots, and _lots _of make up sex."

Robin smiled into the shape shifter's mouth. "Good enough for me," he muttered, and rolled them over onto the grass.

x

_Afterword_

_I want to thank all of my readers for their wonderful reviews. I hope all of you are satisfied, if not pleased, with how things turned out for Beast Boy and Robin (I'd love to hear about your opinions in a review!) and enjoyed the journey._

_My inspiration for writing Sins was the fact that Beast Boy didn't seem to be a well developed character in Teen Titas; he had his own occasional episodes, true, but his powers and his motivations fell rather flat. I thought he had more pontential and skill than the show gave him, so I attempted to create a situation in which he could shine, and one which would let me delve into the deeper side of Beast Boy. Hopefully I succeeded._

_It's been something of a wild ride, but I woldn't have traded it for the world. Best wishes to all my readers, and I hope to hear from you again soon._

_Lasae_

x


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